Jeffrey Glassberg (7) NABA Count Column Red-spotted Admiral/Pipevine Swallowtail: Surprising discoveries from 4th of July Counts.

by Leslie Ries and Sean Mullen Monarch (Danaus plexippus). Pipevine Swallowtail (). Oct. 31, 2006. NABA Butterfly Park, Hidalgo Co., TX. April 29, 2003. Sarco Ranch, Goliad Co., TX.

One of the exciting prospects of working it is now known that Viceroys can be just as with the 4th of July Counts data set is the unpalatable as are Monarchs (sometimes more opportunity to explore questions that were not so), and this is really a case of two unpalatable anticipated when the program was developed. converging to look like each other The main goal of the program is to be able (and therefore reinforcing their warnings to to monitor butterfly populations for changes potential predators). This kind of is over time (and you’ll be hearing more about known as Müllerian mimicry. those results in subsequent issues), but there The other interesting aspect of this are also opportunities to answer different kinds mimicry complex is that Red-spotted Purples ( archippus). Red-spotted Purple ( astyanax). of evolutionary and ecological questions. In are the southeastern subspecies of a species July 26, 2006. Seedskadee NWR, Sweetwater Co., WY. July 11, 1989. Seaview, Richmond Co., NY. this column, we present some results that complex. The northern subspecies, White show that the distribution of an unpalatable Admiral, has prominent white bands and does butterfly — Pipevine Swallowtail — affects not mimic Pipevine Swallowtails (opposite the distribution of two Red-spotted Admiral page). The range of Pipevine Swallowtails subspecies (Red-spotted Purples — believed (see pg. 50) includes the entire zone to mimic Pipevine Swallowtails; and White where the two Red-spotted Admiral subspecies Admirals — which do not mimic Pipevine are known to overlap (see pg. 51). There Swallowtails). is also a western population of Red-spotted The North American admirals (genus Purples, but these do not come in contact Limenitis) have proved to be an excellent with the northern subspecies, so here we will model to explore issues of both mimicry and concentrate on the eastern populations. California Sister ( bredowi). White Admiral (Limenitis arthemis arthemis). June 19, 1999. 1 mile n. of Cecilville, Siskiyou Co., CA. July 5, 2006. Lexington, Greene Co., NY. hybridization. Not only has mimicry evolved Some interesting but difficult to separately in three species (opposite page), but answer questions are “How strong is the Wing Pattern Mimicry among hybridization is common between different selection for mimicry” and “Is selection for North American Admirals and species and subspecies. The group even mimicry balanced by migration between Their Respective Models. shows interesting variations in the type of sub-populations?” One approach to these mimicry they display. For instance, palatable questions is through genetic analyses. Recent Admirals in the genus Limenitis display three Red-spotted Purples are thought to be work (by co-author Sean Mullen) shows that different color patterns. mimics of poisonous Pipevine Swallowtails. White Admirals and Red-spotted Purples Orange-colored Viceroys mimic Monarchs; This kind of mimicry is known as Batesian are now separate lineages (of Red-spotted iridescent blue Red-spotted Purples mimic mimicry. Viceroys were once considered Admirals) that have experienced intermittent Pipevine Swallowtails and white-banded, orange- the “classic” case of , a flow throughout their history of tipped Lorquin’s Admirals mimic California Sisters. White Admirals are non-mimetic. palatable organism mimicking a poisonous divergence. Furthermore, historical gene Lorquin’s Admiral (Limenitis lorquini). model (in this case, the Monarch). However, flow between these two subspecies is highly July 19, 1999. Black Canyon, Okanogan Co, WA. 48 American ,Fall/Winter 2007 49