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Hostplant records for butterflies and skippers (mostly from Colorado) 1959-1992, with new life histories and notes on oviposition, immatures, and ecology

Abstract

Hostplants of larvae, based on about 3090 records of observed ovipositions (a total of 1509) or discoveries of eggs, larvae, or pupae in nature, are presented for butterflies (including skippers), mostly from western United States, especially Colorado. The paper presents numerous new life histories, and many notes on egg placement, overwintering stage, behavior, and ecology. A new phenomenon of a butterfly egg mimicking a plant is reported, in which Nathalis iole eggs have changed color to match orange-yellow protruding foul-odor egg-shaped glands on Oyssodia papposa, presumably to benefit from lesser predation because predators think the eggs are inedible foul glands; this phenomenon is the complete opposite of the known cases of egg mimicry, in which plants produce structures mimicking butterfly eggs to deter oviposition (although possibly egg mimicry was the original origin of the precursor of the 0. oapposa glands). Dracula Caterpillars were found--larvae of Amblyscirtes-which have unique fangs unknown in other Lepidoptera, as well as ordinary mandibles; apparently the fangs are used in defense rather than nest-building. What was once called one species Celastrina argiolus in Colorado is now proven to be two species, with different hostplants, flight times, habitats, and pupal color; the localized species has two ecotypes, one feeding on Humulus vines, the other on Lupinus. Only one Hesperiinae (Oarisma garita) is truly polyphagous, eating grasses and sedges of many life forms; it has "satyr envy", converging to Satyrinae in its polyphagy, unique lack of larval nest, and cryptic striped larval color pattern. Hesperiinae species generally eat only a certain life form of grass, and may prefer the biochemicals of certain grass species or genera, so that Hesperiinae are comparatively host-specific. A hay-feeding guild was discovered: 6 Hesperiinae (Piruna pirus, Ancyloxypha numitor, Ochlodes sylvanoides, Poanes zabulon taxiles, Amblyscirtes vialis, probably Anatrytone logan) that each eat numerous tall wide-leaf grasses. In contrast, many Satyrinae have rather haphazard oviposition, and rather polyphagous lab feeding, so that Satyrinae species are in general rather polyphagous on various grasses or even on grasses and sedges, and their host specificity is difficult to determine. One satyr (Oeneis chryxus) oviposits on trees. In another case of convergence, Hesperia ottoe and Polites origenes are the only species in their genera to eat a broad-leaf grass and to have aerial larval nests. One skipper (Ancyloxypha) was found to have larval wax glands on four segments instead of the usual two. Bog butterflies seem to have rather polyphagous larvae. Some larvae rest underground: Parnassius (pupae), certain Satyrinae (Neominois, perhaps some Oeneis and Erebia), Hesperia relatives (Hesperia except ottoe, Polites except origenes, Yvretta, Hylephila, Atalopedes), and "Amblyscirtes" simius. Three species of Polites lay eggs without glue which drop into the litter, and Cercyonis does this about half the time. Anatrytone logan is a very distinct genus from Atrytone arogos, in contrast to Hesperia, Polites, and Atalopedes, which are basically just one genus. Cases of hostplant switching is reported in which Euphydryas chalcedona/anicia capella now feeds on introduced Linaria dalmatica, and Phyciodes picta has switched from Aster to Convolvulus. Two new subspecies are named from lowland valleys of W Colo.-E Utah: Phyciodes tharmos/morpheus riocolorado, the only valid ssp. of tharos, with paler wing color; and Hesperopsis libya confertiblanca, which has a solid white unh and a new hostplant.

Description

July 5, 1992.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 183-185).

Rights Access

Subject

skippers
Butterflies
Lepidoptera

Citation

Associated Publications