Volume 12 - Number 1 March 2005
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Utah Lepidopterist Bulletin of the Utah Lepidopterists' Society Volume 12 - Number 1 March 2005 Extreme Southwest Utah Could See Iridescent Greenish-blue Flashes A Little Bit More Frequently by Col. Clyde F. Gillette Battus philenor (blue pipevine swallowtail) flies in the southern two- thirds of Arizona; in the Grand Canyon (especially at such places as Phantom Ranch 8/25 and Indian Gardens 12/38) and at its rims [(N) 23/75 and (S) 21/69]; in the low valleys of Clark Co., Nevada; and infrequently along the Meadow Valley Wash 7/23 which parallels the Utah/Nevada border in Lincoln Co., Nevada. Since this beautiful butterfly occasionally flies to the west, southwest, and south of Utah's southwest corner, one might expect it to turn up now and then in Utah's Mojave Desert physiographic subsection of the Basin and Range province on the lower southwest slopes of the Beaver Dam Mountains, Battus philenor Blue Pipevine Swallowtail Photo courtesy of Randy L. Emmitt www.rlephoto.com or sporadically fly up the "Dixie Corridor" along the lower Virgin River Valley. Even though both of these Lower Sonoran life zone areas reasons why philenor is not a habitual pipevine species.) Arizona's of Utah offer potentially suitable, resident of Utah's Dixie. But I think interesting plant is Aristolochia "nearby" living conditions for Bat. there is basically only one, and that is watsonii (indianroot pipevine), which phi. philenor, such movements have a complete lack of its larval has alternate leaves shaped like a not often taken place. Or, more foodplants in the region. slightly curved, long-pointed accurately, there has been only arrowhead, and has a thick root The blue pipevine swallowtail minimal proof that such sporadic, supposedly used by Indians and white absolutely requires Aristolochiaceae transient probing has occurred. settlers as a remedy for snake bites. (pipevine family) plants for its larval Presently, there are only two reliable This plant is the larval foodplant (LF) foodplants, and there are no known records of proof that Bat. phi. for philenor in the greater Southwest occurrences of native pipevine in philenor has been taken in Utah [first wherever they occur together. Utah. Cultivation of pipevines as established by Kilian Roever 2 May ornamentals in Utah is practically Aristolochia californica (california 1981, with a follow up record by nonexistent. Even in Arizona where pipevine/california dutchmans pipe) is seven year old (at the time) Scott W. Bat. philenor is fairly prevalent, there the LF for Bat. phi. hirsuta in the Wardrop 30 June 1988. Both records is only one indigenous species of great Central Valley of California, as were of males.]. There could be many pipevine. (In Texas, there are several proven by Emily C. Dial and myself in Placer Co., California June 1979. places as the Lytle Ranch Nature corner of Arizona. But, that is Aristolochia macrophylla (dutchmans Preserve (along the Beaver Dam usually where all the serious trouble pipevine) is often used as an Wash, Washington Co., Utah) and at comes from in those cases which go introduced ornamental in areas where the old Beaver Dam Lodge area south wrong. The full biological effects of it does not occur naturally, and of the Utah/Arizona line and new introductions are often not philenor takes advantage of this Littlefield, Mohave Co., Arizona, that recognized at the outset. Therefore, species and other pipevine Battus philenor would be able to pipevine-plant introductions may not introductions in some instances. maintain viable populations of itself be so completely innocuous as I in Utah. Local garden clubs could believe they are. Nevertheless, I am in An interesting side note is the help in the establishment of the favor of the purposeful introduction meaning of the generic plant name plants. Hopefully, these adventive of pipevines into southwest Utah. Aristolochia. It is Greek derived pipevines would be able to survive in Beyond that, I would not personally from: aristos-best + locheia- the more mild "Dixie" winters. It bring in ova, larvae, or gravid females, childbirth, named for its legendary would be necessary, of course, to but I would be most pleased if these effectiveness in aiding human caution participating gardeners wonderful butterflies were able to childbirth. Aristolochia is one of ten against spraying the plants or make it on their own. It would be genera of the mostly tropical squashing the black and red larvae greatly satisfying to more frequently Aristolochiaceae (pipevine/birthwort (which some people incorrectly and see their iridescent greenish-blue family) containing approximately 600 annoyingly call "worms") with their flashes throughout the southwestern species in both the Eastern and prominent 9 mm pair of anterior corner of Utah. Western hemispheres, nearly 500 of filaments. For promoting repeated which are in Aristolochia. Definitions: life cycles of this very beautiful Aristolochiaceae is quite an isolated indigenous - [L. indigena-native] native species greenish-blue, tailed pipevine family of plants, not very closely originating, developing, or living naturally in a butterfly would be one of the primary particular region or environment. (Indigenous is related to any other family of dicots. reasons for growing the pipevines in nearly synonymous with endemic derived from Its nearest relatives are probably in the Greek word endmia.) the first place. the complex of orders Magnoliales adventive - nonnative, inadvertent or purposeful and Ranunculales. A curious feature All of the three Aristolochia species introductions of species from other places which of Aristolochiaceae is that its floral mentioned - watsonii, californica and have not become fully naturalized. parts are trimerous (occurring in macrophylla would be suitable for threes or multiples of threes), which is transplant into southwestern Utah. Battus philenor hirsuta a common feature of the class With Ari. californica, however, care Larvae Are Very Cannibalistic Monocotyledoneae (monocots) rather must be taken not to bring in the early In June 1979, when Emily C. Dial and than the Dicotyledoneae (dicots) of stages of Bat. phi. hirsuta when Bat. I discovered Bat. phi. hirsuta larvae which it is a part. Many bizarre or phi. philenor would be the subspecies crawling all over Ari. californica exotic species of this family are which might take hold naturally. This near Roseville, ½ Placer Co., cultivated as greenhouse curiosities. brings up the important issue of California, we brought back a good The showy tropical Ari. grandiflora complete biological naturalism vs. number of them to Salt Lake City for (pelicanflower pipevine), for example, biological intervention by human rearing. Unfortunately, we has flowers with diameters of 51 beings. Nearly everyone agrees that underestimated the voracity of our cm/20 in which have a tail-like there have been numerous cases of charges and by the time our rearing appendage 89 cm/ 35 in long! biological disasters which have neared completion, our refrigerated occurred by man's intervention, I have long conceived of a plan to LF stocks were precariously low. whether unintended or purposeful. encourage and aid people in Utah's Most of our potted plants took hold The direct cause of some of these Dixie to cultivate various species of and were growing, but the last larvae biological disasters is the introduction Aristolochia in their gardens. (I once devoured the new tender leaves before of new species of viruses, bacteria, gathered seeds of a species of the leaves could grow to a fourth of plants and animals into new regions Aristolochia from Guadalupe Co., their normal size. Then the ravenous or areas where they had not existed Texas for the purpose of transplanting larvae ate the stems. When the stems previously. them into Utah.) The hope would be were consumed, to our surprise the that once enough growing pipevine My thinking in this situation is this: remaining rapacious larvae turned on plants are scattered around in such I cannot see any negative biological each other. It seemed the first by- potential sites as Leeds, La Verkin, effects from the introduction of chance bite taken out of a larva Hurricane, Washington, Gunlock, Aristolochia watsonii and automatically designated that larva as Santa Clara, St George 8/27, macrophylla plants into southwest a cannibalistic victim. The victim Bloomington, and especially such Utah and the extreme northwest see Larvae p 3 2 Fundamental differences between the California Sister and the Arizona Sister (Adelpha bredowi californica vs. Adelpha bredowi eulalia) by Todd L. Stout Adelpha bredowi californica Adelpha bredowi eulalia California Sister Arizona Sister Photo courtesy of Todd L. Stout Over the years, there have been illustrates that one has to be cautious Also, if you take a look at the ventral several butterfly enthusiasts who and not bring back more ova and/or hindwing cream-white bands of both have inquired about the differences larvae than can be supported by your taxa, the arizona sister clearly shows between the california sister and the readily available food supply.) We do a continuous slim blue line on the arizona sister. The purpose of this not know if these "hyper" Bat. phi. outer edge of the band. If you look at article is to discuss as well as to hirsuta larvae would occasionally be the same area of the california sister, illustrate their most basic, consistent cannibalistic in their natural setting, you will see that the same lavender differences. but we wouldn't be too surprised if it line is only intermittent. After proved to be so. These larvae were As shown on the images above, the studying long series of both taxa, these very active and strongly aggressive! It ventral hindwing of the california sister differences appear to be diagnostic as could well be they had a heightened (Adelpha bredowi californica) has a opposed to being individual variation. sense of LF shortage which made them lavender background as opposed to the noticeably more so.