Butterfly Hostplant Records, 1992-2005, with a Treatise on the Evolution of Erynnis, and a Note on New Terminology for Mate-Locating Behavior
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(NEW April 28 PAPILIO SERIES) 2006 BUTTERFLY HOSTPLANT RECORDS, 1992-2005, WITH A TREATISE ON THE EVOLUTION OF ERYNNIS, AND A NOTE ON NEW TERMINOLOGY FOR MATE-LOCATING BEHAVIOR Dr. Jam es A. Scott, 60 Estes Street, Lakewood, Colorado 80226 Abstract. Hostplants oflarvae, based on 1,014 records (including 474 records of ovipositions and 540 discoveries of eggs, larvae, or pupae in nature) from i992 through 2005, are presented for butterflies (including skippers), mostly from Colorado, and some from Wyoming, Nebraska, and Minnesota. New life histories are given, including many notes on egg placement, overwintering stage, behavior, and ecology. Larvae and pupae of Colo. Cyllopsis pertepida can be either green· or tan, and thus retain a seasonal polyphenism that is present in other Cyllopsis even though only one generation occurs in Colo. Erebia magdalena oviposits on large boulders. Phyciodes picta evidently eats an annual gummy aster in much of the northern part of its range. Still another bog butterfly has been found to be polyphagous (Pyrgus centaureae), adding to the many polyphagous bog butterflies previously known (many Boloria, Colias scudderii); Speyeria mormonia eurynome might be semipolyphagous as well, though conclusive evidence is unavailable. Cercyonis (sthenele) meadii oviposits in shade north of pine trees near its sedge host that grows in that shade. Coenonympha tullia has green and brown larval forms, and striped and unstriped pupal forms. Erebia epipsodea oviposits high on its grass hosts in the foothills, low on its grass hosts in the alpine zone, to moderate the temperature of the eggs. The pupa of Chlosyne palla calydon is black-and white, versus brown in Calif. C. palla palla. Thorybes pylades and Everes amyntula specialize on tendril-bearing (pea "vine") herbaceous legumes. Stinga morrisoni is the only known butterfly that chooses large bunch-grasses (seven species) of many grass taxa. Paratrytone snowi eats only Muhlenbergia montana. Erynnis ice/us oviposits only on seedlings. The evolution of Erynnis is discussed, using many new characters oflarvae and pupae and valval flexion. Mature larvae of some Pyrginae (Pyrgus communis, Pholisora catullus) that diapause become reddish in color, whereas non-diapausing mature larvae remain greenish. An appendix provides new terminology for describing mate-locating behavior. INTRODUCTION This paper continues the hostplant studies of Scott (1992). For species with significant amounts of new information or new life histories, a full discussion and interpretation of the species' hosts/ecology/immatures are given. I have thousands of color slides of immatures, which cannot be published here because of the expense. METHODS Methods are those of Scott (1992). Scoli are named by prefixing B- (for branching spine) to the name of the nearest primary seta, thus BDl is the scolus near seta Dl. All times are given as 24-hour standard time. Papilionidae, Parnassiinae Parnassius phoebus smintheus Doubleday (=sayii W. Edw.). 2 mature larvae found, one resting on bare ground, other eating Sedum lanceolatum tiny plant, both where S. lanceolatumwas thick; one larva popped out osmeterium when squeezed; both were placed in jar with wheat grains on bottom and plastic foam packing on top, and by May 18 both constructed a loose web between wheat and packing to form a loose cocoon (with holes in the webbing up to 2 mm wide), the spaces within cocoon for pupa were 25 X 15 X 15 mm and 25 X 13 X 13 mm; Tinytown, Jefferson Co. Colo., May 11, 1994. Oviposition 12:46 on horizontal dead grass blade in Muhlenbergia montana clump 2 cm from S. lanceolatum, Tinytown, Jefferson Co. Colo., May 28, 1998. Oviposition 13:50 on dead S. lanceolatum inflorescence 8 cm above ground, 2 cm from fresh S. lanceolatum, Tucker Gulch, Jefferson Co. Colo,, June 29, 1998. Adults associated with S. lanceolatum, Falcon County Park, Jefferson Co. Colo., June 6, 1994. Male and Sedum lanceolatum found SW Steamboat Point, Sheridan Co. Wyo., Aug. 3, 1995. Adult seen near S. lanceolatum; Crazy Woman Creek., Johnson Co. Wyo., Aug. 3, 2 1995. PUPA bright brownish-orange, the wings translucent slightly-greenish slightly-orangish tan, heart area browner on abdomen, a subdorsal row of small yellow-orange spots, a supralateral row of larger yellow-orange spots (~3 per segment, the middle one smallest). In contrast, pupae of ssp. hermodur from Mt. Evans were reddish-brown with brown wings and orangish spots. Parnassius phoebus hermodur H. Edw. Oviposition 12:00, she landed in area of common Sedum lanceolatum, and laid egg on near-dead basal leaf 15 mm above ground on 8 cm tall Cerastium beeringianum plant, 120 cm from nearest S. lanceolatum; Loveland Pass, Summit/Clear Creek Co. Colo., Aug. 20, 1997; Loveland Pass, Summit/Clear Creek Co. Colo., Aug. 20, 1997. Adults associated with Sedum lanceolatum, W Hoosier Pass, Park Co. Colo., Aug. 7, 1998. NEW HOSTPLANT: Sedum lanceolatum. EGG orangish-tan when first laid thus hard to spot, but egg turned white after one minute; egg remains white until hatching. Papilioninae, Papilionini Papilio zelicaon Lucas. Larva 1 cm long found on yellow-flowered umbel (Musineon tenuifolium), female reared emgd. Feb. 9, 1995, Sowbelly Can., Sioux Co. Neb., May 16, 1994. Preoviposition 14:00 yellow-flowered umbel (M. tenuifolium?), Sowbelly Can., Sioux Co. Neb., May 16, 1994. Papilio polyxenes asterius Stoll. Mature larva on Cicuta douglasii inflorescence pedicel; Wheatridge, Jefferson Co. Colo., Aug. 30, 1995, pupated Sept. 7, 1995, male emerged Sept. 22, 1997 (two years later). Ovipositions 13:26, 13:27 on uns of 15-cm-tall Conium maculatum leaves; Lakewood, Jefferson Co. Colo., May 19, 1996. Ovipositions 9:50, 11:09, 11:10, 11:11, 11:12 on Anethum graveolens tender leaf segments, the eggs placed ~60 cm up on 130 cm flowering plants; Lakewood, Jefferson Co. Colo., Aug. 11-12, 1996. Nearly-mature larva on Petroselinum crispum, larva had eaten 2 whole leaves, in lab ate Conium maculatum; Lakewood, Jefferson Co. Colo., Aug. 23, 2000. Adults associated with Pastinaca sativa var. sylvestris (judging by the abundance of this plant in S Minn. & Iowa, this is the main host there) ; 2.5 mi. NE Conger, Freeborn Co. Minn., June 27, 2001, and reclaimed prairie 1/3 mi. W Hall of Humes Lake, Freeborn Co. Minn., June 27, 2001. MATURE LARVA in Colo. generally has pale-green ground color and yellow spots; the black dashes are usually small but sometimes are enormously enlarged making the larva mostly black. PUPA: Pupae hibernate. Papilio indra indra Reakirt. Oviposition 11:50 on leaf of Harbouria trachypleura seedling; Tucker Gulch, Jefferson Co. Colo., July 9, 1995. Preoviposition 12:22 Aletes acaulis; Lookout Mtn., Jefferson Co. Colo., June 10, 1996. EGG shiny cream, round. 1ST-STAGE LARVA black, with small cream spots along side of body and a cream spot on each segment near middorsal line, on top of middle of body is a cream patch on A4 and rear of A3 consisting of slightly larger small cream spots and a cream ring on base of subdorsal A4 scolus; many black scoli, including subdorsal ones (fairly long A9, a little shorter T1-A1 & A7-8, shortest A2-6), dorsolateral ones on thorax (a long scolus on T1 is anteroventrad of the subdorsal scolus, small scoli T2-3), small scoli near side on T1-3, tiny dorsolateral and lateral scoli are on abdomen; head black. Papilio glaucus rutulus Lucas. Mature larva swept from large Salix lemmonii bush, died when pupating; S Casper, Natrona Co. Wyo., Aug. 24, 1994. Oviposition 13:00 upperside of Populus angustifolia leaf, she fluttered a little while laying; W Idledale, Jefferson Co. Colo., July 8, 1995. Oviposition 11:07 green egg on top of leaf 7 cm long 2 cm from leaf tip on top (3 m above ground) of Salix ligulifolia bush about 4 m tall, she preovip. on about 5 other leaves of bush but maybe didn’t lay eggs on those leaves; Wheatridge, Jefferson Co. Colo., July 7, 1998. Oviposition 13:30 on leaf ups of 70- cm-tall Popula tremula tremuloides bush, N-facing slope near hilltop, Crawford Hill, Jefferson Co. Colo., June 29, 1998. Intergrades between glaucus and rutulus became much more common during 1993-1994; most are closer to rutulus than glaucus, but some are closer to glaucus, and a few have mixed characters. Evidently the few glaucus that immigrate into the Denver area along the South Platte River encounter a wealth of suitable deciduous trees and lay eggs, and the F1 and backcross offspring usually mate with local rutulus because reproductive isolation is absent, resulting in progeny that are mostly nearer rutulus than glaucus, and some mixed specimens in which the various characters have become unlinked. The interbreeding between P. glaucus, canadensis, rutulus, and alexiares is sufficient to treat all these as ssp. of P. glaucus. EGG shiny leaf-green, with a translucent yellower-green patch on one side of egg. 1ST-STAGE LARVA black, but T1 mostly dirty-cream, the top of T3 and A8 has a narrow transverse cream band, and a cream saddle on A3-4; a subdorsal scolus is on nearly every segment (longest T1, fairly long A8-9, moderate on T2-3 & A7, short on A1-6 [shortest on A2- 5]), these scoli black except cream A3-4, a tiny dorsolateral scolus on T1-3; head black. NEW HOSTPLANTS: Salix lemmonii and S. ligulifolia. There is some evidence that appalachiensis Pavulaan & Wright is a distinct species, but I’m not impressed with the evidence that glaucus L. is a distinct sp. from canadensis Roth. & Jordan or that rutulus Lucas is a distinct sp. from canadensis (people accept that alexiares Hopffer is the same species as glaucus, yet alexiares has the wing pattern and valva prong of rutulus!).