Transcript Skippers in Utah - Utah Lepidopterists' Society

http://www.utahlepsociety.org
Tips on Raising North American
Limenitis (Basilarchia) species
Presented by Todd Stout
Utah Lepidopterists’ Society
April 8, 2006
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
Limenitis immatures:
Ova: Normally laid on the tip of the leaf
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Limenitis immatures:
Early instars: Larvae construct conspicuous perch
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Limenitis immatures:
Pre-diapausal third instars construct a rolled-leaf
hibernaculum
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Limenitis hibernacula:
Are NOT necessarily difficult to locate in the winter when
willows/aspens/service berries etc. have dropped their
leaves because it remains attached to the branch where it
can be somewhat conspicuous.
Caterpillar
Attached to willow
branch with silk
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Limenitis hibernacula:
However, hibernacula hunting in the winter can be
extremely difficult if the population size is too small
and/or if there is too much hostplant in the area.
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Limenitis immatures:
Fifth instars
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Limenitis immatures:
Prepupa
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Limenitis immatures:
Pupa
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys
Note: Strategies for raising Viceroys as compared to
banded admirals and purples are very similar with one
key exception.
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys
…and that is Oviposition Preference
• Female Viceroys prefer to oviposit on willows adjacent
to water courses or on willows draped right over the river
itself.
• Female banded admirals and purples also may oviposit
near the river OR several hundred feet away where
suitable hostplants are growing.
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys
Strategic Similarities
•Collecting and Obtaining ova from live females (Setting up oviposition cage)
•How to recognize immatures on host—ova, pre-diapausal larvae, hibernacula
•Insuring that ova hatch in the lab and do not desiccate
•Exposing freshly-molted second instars to sufficient photoperiod to avoid hibernation
•Successful hibernacula overwintering techniques (avoiding desiccation).
•Setting up a post-diapausal rearing terrarium from hibernacula using willow starts
•Differences in pre vs. post-diapausal larval resting positions
•Utilizing Populus sucker leaves on larger instars to maximize the size of emerged adults
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Repeating Theme of Rearing Admirals:
Whether it’s successfully…
1. Overwintering hibernacula
2. Hatching ova in the lab (avoiding desiccation)
3. Setting up rearing cage
4. Getting eggs out of live females
5. Finding populations (especially Viceroys)
Humidity!
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Repeating Theme of Rearing Admirals:
Which is why Limenitis populations are much more
prevalent in the Eastern U.S. as compared to the West
Humidity!
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Rearing L. archippus vs. non-archippus
L. archippus: Female oviposition preference
is very close or right on top of water courses.
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Rearing L. archippus vs. non-archippus
Non-archippus: Female oviposition preference
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Rearing L. archippus vs. non-archippus
Differences in last instar larval structures/coloration
L. lorquini fifth instar
L. archippus fifth instar
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Rearing L. archippus vs. non-archippus
Differences in last instar larval structures/coloration
L. weidemeyeri fifth instar
L. archippus fifth instar
L. weidemeyeri fifth instar
L. lorquini fifth instar
L. archippus fifth instar
L. a. arizonensis fifth instar
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys
Strategic Similarities: Collecting and Obtaining ova from live females
(Setting up oviposition cage)
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys
Strategic Similarities: How to recognize immatures on host
1. Ova are laid on the tips of the leaves of host willows, cottonwoods, aspens, etc.
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys
Strategic Similarities: How to recognize immatures on host
2. First, second, and third instars create a conspicuous perch on the hostplant
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys
Strategic Similarities: How to recognize immatures on host
3. Pre-Diapausal third instars construct a rolled-leaf hibernaculum
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys
Strategic Similarities: Insuring that ova do not desiccate
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys
Strategic Similarities: Expose 2
instar larvae to 24 hours of light to
insure that they don’t build hibernacula and go through to adult!
nd
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys
Strategic Similarities: Wintering Hibernacula Techniques
Key: Humidity, Airflow and
Protection from Predation!
Tips of Raising North
American Limenitis butterflies
8 April 2006
Todd L. Stout
Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys
Strategic Similarities: Pushing Larvae Through to Adult
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Tips on Raising North American
Limenitis (Basilarchia) species
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