United States Department of the Interior

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Alaska Peninsula/Becharof NWR P.O. Box 277 King Salmon, AK 99613 (907) 246-3339 (voice) (907) 246-6696 (fax)

October 7, 2010

To: Files

From: Wildlife Biologist Savage

Subject: Insect Collections - 2010

Background The Refuge began limited invertebrate collections independently and in conjunction with other statewide projects (Eyster & Sesser, 2005) in 2004. From 2005 – 2007 and in 2009 local volunteers continued collecting primarily Lepidoptera (see memos to files: September 2005, November 2006, and December 2007, October 2009). Most of the collections were sent to experts in the respective invertebrate community1 to confirm identifications and for curation. Dr. Phillip provided us with updated species names for the 2009 collection (see below). In 2010 Richard Russell (local naturalist and retired Alaska Department of Fish and Game Fishery Biologist) and Rod Cyr (local naturalist) offered to continue collecting Lepidoptera in the Bristol Bay Borough. An additional specimen was collected by USFWS staff on the compound.

Methods During 2010, Lepidoptera in the Bristol Bay Borough were collected according to protocols developed in 2004 and clarified over the winter of 2005 (USFWS 2005). Volunteers sometimes collected opportunistic and sometimes went on outings specifically to look for Lepidoptera. Notes were kept on the standard invertebrate datasheets which were turned into Refuge staff and entered in the Excel spread sheet on Savage’s computer (my documents/BIOARCHIVE/ Invertebrates/2009/AKPB_Insect_Data_thru_2010.xls). In early October, one fly and 113 Lepidoptera specimens along with the Excel data were sent to Dr. Philip for further identification and curation into his statewide collection.

Results & Discussion Per an Excel file sent 18 January 2010 by Dr. Phillip, the following 2009 specimens were updated: #479, 622 to Jutta Arctic (Oeneis jutta), #753-755 to Nastes Sulphur (Colias nastes),

1 Dragonflies and Damselflies were sent to John Hudson and Lepidoptera were sent to Kenelm Phillip #455 to Frigga Fritillary (Boloria frigga), #465-467, 477, 620, 712 to Polixenes Arctic (Oeneis polixenes), and #701, 711, 733-735 to St. Lawrence Tiger Moth (Platarctia parthenos).

Collection in 2010 commenced 1 June and finished 10 September. Most of the specimens were collected in June (58) or July (47). All specimens were collected in the Bristol Bay Borough in the vicinity of King Salmon or along the King Salmon Creek Trail to mile 13.25 (Figure 1). Volunteers preliminarily identified butterflies as they were collected. A total of 113 Lepidoptera were collected in 2010: 93 butterflies and 20 moths (Table 1). At least 15 species of butterfly were preliminarily identified. This year preliminary field identification by Russell and Cyr indicate the potential additions to our previous species list of Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus centaureae), Pelidne sulphur (Colias pelidne), and Laborador Sulphur (Colias nastes). Note only two specimens of the interesting Polixenes/Philip Arctic (Oeneis polixenes/O. philipi) group (difficult to separate, only one species being collected in odd years) were collected this year. Arctic butterflies were also lacking this year. The large moth found by Maintenance Worker Blush was laying eggs on the sidewalk when found; this accounts for its poor condition. We look forward to continued updates to these identifications from Dr. Phillip and other highlights of Alaska Lepidoptera news.

Literature Cited Eyster, J.A. and K.A. Sesser. 2005. Invertebrate Inventory of the Alaska Peninsula: A Progress Report for 2004. US Fish and Wildlife Service, King Salmon. (Unpublished) 9pp.

US Fish & Wildlife Service. 2005. Memo to File, September 23, 2005. Insect Collections – 2005.

US Fish & Wildlife Service. 2005. Supporting Protocol for WIP: Methods for Insect Collection. Alaska Peninsula / Becharof NWR, King Salmon, AK (Unpublished).

US Fish & Wildlife Service. 2006. Memo to File, November 1, 2006. Insect Collections – 2006.

US Fish & Wildlife Service. 2007. Memo to File, December 17, 2007. Insect Collections – 2007.

US Fish & Wildlife Service. 2009. Memo to File, October 6, 2009. Insect Collections – 2009.

Table 1. Preliminary Identification of Lepidoptera Collections, Bristol Bay Borough & vicinity - 2010.

Common Name Scientific Name Num. Collected Butterflies Total 93 Grizzled Skipper? Pyrgus centaureae 4 Skipper unknown unknown 1 Old World Swallowtail Papilio machaon 1 Marginated White Pieris marginalis 18 Labrador sulphur Colias nastes 5 Giant Sulphur Colias gigantea 8 Palaeno Sulphur Colias palaeno 9 (Pelidne)? Sulphur Colias pelidne 1 Dorcas Copper Lycaena dorcas 4 Elfin unknown Callophrys spp? 1 Cranberry Blue Vacciniina optilete 7 Frigga Fritillary Boloria frigga 8 Freija Fritillary Boloria freija 6 Milbert's Tortoiseshell Aglais milberti 1 Kodiak Ringlet Coenonympha tullia 6 Disa Alpine Erebia disa 11 Polixenes Arctic Oeneis polixenes/philipi 2

Moths Total 20 Trichodezia spp. 1 UNKNOWN 19