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General Notes JournaloftheLepidopterists'Society 60(3),2006,171-174 OBSERVATIONS OF KRICOGONIA LYSIDE (PIERIDAE) IN THE FLORIDA KEYS Additionalkevwords:WestIndies,migration,seasonaldispersal, FloridaKeys Kricogonia hjside (Godart), (Fig. 1) abutterflynative easterly winds, indicating the species is capable of totheWestIndies,the southwestern United States, and dispersal into the Keys during typical seasonal CentralandSouthAmerica, hashistoricallyoccurredon conditions. Young (1938),basedonexamination offresh an irregular basis on several ofthe middle and upper specimens collected near Biscayne Bay, suggested that Florida Kevs, as well as on the southeastern Florida the species reproduces within southern Floridaandthe peninsula (Young 1938, Minnoand Emmel 1993, Smith Kevs. However, neither oviposition nor larval activity etal. 1994, Glassbergetal. 2000, Minnoet al. 2005). A has ever been observed for K. lyside in the region. A highlymigratorvspecies, K hjside oftentravelsen masse known hostplantofthis species, lignumvitae, Guaiacum within and between the islands of the Caribbean sanctum L., (Zygophvllaceae) occurs commonlywithin hardwood hammocks throughout the Keys and is also widely used in the region as an ornamental species in landscaping. Following an apparent decade-long absence in Florida K. hjside was observed locallv from June through September 2002 on Plantation Key (Salvato and Salvato 2002) and Key West (MHS unpublished data) in the Florida Keys. After these initial observations of K. lyside re-occurrence in die Keys MHS and HLS continued to survey for this species as part ofa larger ongoing long-term study to determine the status and distribution ofbutterflies throughoutdie Keys. Surveys were conducted on warm, clear davs under conditions that were considered sufficient for butterflies to be flying. Each sampling date included approximately 8-9 hours of field time (between 0800-1700 h) in which two surveyors (MHS and HLS) walked a standard route at surveysites widiin die study FlG 1. Kricogonia hjside on Vaca Key, 23 July 2005 (Photo area to visually record K. hjside activity. On each Credit: H. L. Salvato). sampling date a selected span of the Keys was monitored in either the Upper (Key Largo to Upper (Wolcott 1927,Williams 1930, Smithetal. 1994, Miyata Matecumbe Key), Middle (Lower Matecumbe Kev to 2000). The species also demonstrates similar mass Vaca Key) or Lower Keys (Baliia Honda Kev to Kev movements in die southwestern United States with West). Surveysites on each islandwere\isitedmonthly large influxes entering southern Texas from Mexico duringMay2002to December2005,withdieexception (Clench 1965, Gilbert 19S5). DispersalofK. lysideinto ofLisnumritae Kev,which duetoits inaccessibility,was and within southern Texas appears to be triggered by only surveyed during June of each survey year. The reductions in new hostplant growth (Gilbert 1985). amount of time spent surve\ing for K lyside on each However, whether or not similar ecological cues Key varied based on island size and number ofsurvey encourage K. lyside migrations, both within the sites. Overall, atotal of25 surveysites, ofvarringsizes, Caribbean andto southern Florida, remains unknown. were monitored monthly during this study. These Luis R. Hernandez (pers. comm.) suggests tropical locations included State and County' parks, National storm activityin the Caribbean mayplay alarge role in Wildlife Refuges and roadsides. Guaiacum sanctum the dispersal ofK. lyside within the West Indies, and was observed either directly within or adjacent to die perhaps to southern Florida. Smith et. al. (1994) majorityofourstudyareas. witnessed several K lyside making landfall on Upper Althoughtherewereunconfirmed reportsofK lyside Matecumbe Keyviastrong, although notstorm-related, during2003,wedidnotobservediespeciesagainindie 172 Journaloktin-: Lltidoptlrists' Society Keys until 13 June 2004, after which K. lyside was 2004, K lyside remained on Bahia Honda until later in frequentlyencounteredthroughoutthe FloridaKeys, as the season (at least through 24 September 2005) than well as southern Miami-Dade County, marking the first elsewhere in the Keys. Table 1 provides an overviewof known occurrences forthe species on mainland Florida K. lyside observations made on various islands within in severalyears. Kricogonia lyside was absent from the the Florida Keys during this survey. As with majorityofthe islandswesurveyedbymid-August2004; Lignumvitae Key, several ofthe K. lyside observations however, local occurrences remained on Bahia Honda listed in Table 1 appear to be the first documented within the lower Keys into Novemberofthatyear. occurrencesofthe species on select islands, particularly In 2005, we began to re-encounter K. lyside during within the Lower Keys (Minno and Emmel 1993). the early summer months with our first observations We observedan estimated 10, 74 and238 individuals occurring on Lignumvitae Key on 11 June. Despite an ofK lyside duringmonthlysurveys ofthe Keys in2002, abundanceofG. sanctumon Lignumvitae Key, K. lyside 2004 and2005, respectively. In allyears the majorityof had never been reported from this island (Minno and individualswere foundon KeyWest, BahiaHonda,Vaca Emmel 1993, Smith et al. 1994). To our knowledge Key and Plantation Key with varying numbers of these observations of K. lyside on Lignumvitae Key individuals occurring on 15 other islands in the Keys. represent the first reports from this island. From June Although the sexes are similar, males from western throughAugustof2005 K. lysidewasobservedonevery Cuba and the Bahamas are distinctive from other island we surveyed within the Keys (Fig. 2). known K. lyside populations in that these individuals Throughout this time frame the species was witnessed generally lack a black bar near the apex ofthe upper actively dispersing towards the east on both the hindwing (Biley 1975, Minno and Emmel 1993, northern and southern coastlines ofthe Keys, as well as Hernandez 2004, Y. Miller, pers. comm.). J. on outer islands such as Lignumvitae Key, indicating a Examination of photographs (n = 25), collected wider migratory swath than was noted earlier in either specimens (n = 2) and field observations (n = 322) the 2002 or 2004 observations. As was observed in indicate that the K. lyside males encountered during Gulf of Mexico FIG2. IslandsintheFloridaKeysonwhichKricogonialysidewasobservedduringdiesurveyperiod. Volume 60, Number 3 173 Table 1. Kricogonia lyside observations from the Florida non-native species that occurs as an ornamental in the KevsduringJunethroughSeptemberof2002, 2004and2005. Keys and was not common in our study areas. To our knowledge these observations of oviposition provided Island 2002 2004 2005 the first accounts ofK lyside reproduction in southern KevLargo 3 Florida. However, K. lyside larval activity was not K PlantationKey 7 12 10 observed duringthese studies. Larvae of lyside feed nocturnally (Biley 1975, Hernandez 2004) and earlv UpperMatecumbe Key 2 1 instars are similar in coloration to that of the new G. WindleyKey 1 2 sanctum growth on which theyfeed (Allenet al. 2005). Lignumvitae Key 2 The mature larvae are darker green with white and LowerMatecumbe Key 2 1 brown stripes (Minno et al. 2005). The cryptic K GrassvKey 1 coloration and nocturnal feeding habits of lyside LongKey 7 3 larvae makes the species difficult to find on the hostplant (Luis B. Hernandez, pers. comm.) and may VacaKey 3 40 explain our inability to locate them. Additional studies Knights Key 12 are needed to better determine the occurrence and WestSummerlandKey 3 natural history of immature K. lyside in southern K BahiaHondaKey 32° 94 Florida. Furthermore, there were no signs ofadult BigPine Kev 28 lyside activityacross die Keys bymid-fall of2002, 2004 and 2005, suggesting the species may disappear from NoNameKey 2 Florida and then sporadically re-colonize, probably CudjoeKey 4 from Cuba. Thetropical storm seasons in 2004 and, for SugarloafKey 2 the Keys particularly 2005, were extremely active. Saddlebunch Key 1 6 However, the influxes and northeastern movements of StockIsland 2 4 K. lyside across the Keys and into southeastern Florida preceded anysignificant storms occurring duringthese KeyWest 3 12 20 studyyears. Our observations indicate that K lyside periodicallv ° Indicatesobservations continueduritilNovember dispersestoagreaterarrayof islands inthe FloridaKeys these studies were morphologically similar to the than previously noted. We have documented that western Cuban and Bahamian populations, suggesting during some years large numbers of K. lyside adults that the seasonal occurrences ofK, lyside in the Keys occur in the Keys. Additionally, K. lyside appears to and southern Florida observedin this studywere likely breed in southern Florida, but to what extent the ofWest Indian origin. species colonizes widiin die state requires further During June to mid-August of 2004 and 2005 investigation. Kiicogonia lyside was consistently observed in active dispersal, travelingin eitheran easterlyornortheasterly TheauthorsthankLuisR. HernandezforsharingIrisfieldob- direction between islands in search of, and in frequent servationsandinsightsondiebiologyofK. lysideindieWestIn- K dies. Jacqueline Y. Millerexaminedandpresenteddie authors interaction with, G. sanctum. Conversely, lyside withherobservations ofK. lyside specimenswithin die collec- observed later in the season during 2004 and 2005, tion ofthe McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity. specifically those remaining on Bahia Honda, occurred Florida Museum ofNatural History Gaines\ille, Florida. The onlylocally and took nectar from anyavailable sources, aLuytnhoarnsdaBlrsoooekxsteAnthdetrhtoann,ksBtyoruTmimanAddaLmisn,daDCoonopeStri.llDweanungihsJr. J. not just those in the immediate proximity of the OlleandDavidL. Lysingerforsharingdieirfieldobservationsof hostplant. K. lyside during the 2004-05 migrations. We also thank an anonymous reviewer for comments that helped improve die Despite extensive searches throughout the study manuscript. Finally, dieauthorsthankBarn Woodforcreating period for signs that K. lyside had reproduced or andeditingFigure2. underwent diapause in southern Floridaitwas notuntil 9 July 2006 that MHS, HLS and Dennis Olle Literature Cited observedthe species matingandovipositingontJh.e fruit Allen,J.T, P. Brock&J.J. Glvssberg. 2005. Caterpillarsindie FieldandGarden;AFieldGuidetodie ButterflyCaterpillarsof andfreshgrowthofG. sanctum on StockIslandandKey NorthAmerica. OxfordUniversityPress, NewYork. 232IT- West. Additionallyon KeyWest, K. lysidewasobserved Clench, H. K. 1965. A migration ofLibytheana andKi-icogonia in actively ovipositing on the leaves of Maracaibo lignum southernTexas. J. Lepid. Soc. 19:223-224. Gilbert, L. E. 19S5. Ecological factorswhich influence migratory vitae, Bulnesia arborea (Jacq.)Engl., (Zygophvllaceae) a behaviorintwobutterflies ofthe semi-aridshrublands ofsoudi 174 Journalofthe Lepidoptehists' Society GlasTsebxears.c,ContrMi.bC..MaMri.nSncio.2&7:noV..sCupapllh.oun. 2000. Butterflies Smithth,eDW.esS.t,IL.ndDi.esMainldlSeoru&thJ.FlYo.riMdial.lOexrf.or1d99U4n.iveTrhseitByutPtreersfsl,ieNseowf throughJb.i,noculars. OxfordUJn.iversityPress,NewYork. 242pp. York.264pp.32pi Hernandez, L. R. 2004. FieldguideofCuban-WestIndies Butter- Wolcott, G. N. 1927. Notes on the pierid butterfly, Kricogonia flies. Ediluz, Maracaibo.269pp. — castaliaFab. (Lepid.). Entomol. News. 38:97-100'. Kimball, C. P. 1965. The LepidopteraofFlorida an annotated Williams,C. B. 1930. TheMigrationofButterflies.OliverandBoyd, checklist. StateofFlorida DepartmentofAgriculture, Division London,p.133. ofPlantIndustry. Gainesville.Florida. 363pp. Young, F. N. 1938. Some interesting butterfly records for south MlNNO„M.C.&T.C.Emmel. 1993. ButterfliesoftheFloridaKeys. Florida. Entomol. News.49:115. ScientificPublishers,Gainesville,Florida. 16Spp. Minno,M. C,J. F. Butler,&D.W. Hall. 2005. FloridaButterfly Mark H. Salvato, 1765 17th Avenue SW, Vera CaterpillarsandTheirHost Plants. UniversityPressofFlorida, Gainesville. 341pp. Beach. Florida, 32962, USA: Email: Miyata,A. 2000. MassmigrationofKricogoniahjside (Lepidoptera, [email protected], John V. Calhoun, 977 Wicks Pieridae) in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic, in 1995. Drive, Palm Harbor, Florida, 34684, USA: Email: Trans. Lepid. Soc.Japan. 51:281-286. Riley,N.D. 1975. AfieldguidetothebutterfliesoftheWestIndies. [email protected] HollyL. Salvato, 1765 17th Collins. London, England. 224pp. Avenue SW, Vero Beach, Florida, 32962, USA Salvato, M. H. & H. L. Salvato,. 2002. A new host record for Automeris io and the re-occurrence of Kricogonia hjside in Receivedforpublication 29December2005, revisedandaccepted21 Florida. NewsLepid.Soc.44:128. June2006. JournaloftlieLepidopterists'Society 60(3),2006,174-176 A PRECAUTIONARYTALE ABOUT RARITY7 ON THE LARVAAND LIFE HISTORY : OF LITHOPHANEJOANNIS (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE) Additionalkeywords:shelter-forming.Aesculusflava, Lithophaneinnominata,Lithophanepatefacta This note is about rarity, and how species that are enough to raise doubt. Based on the host association regardedas scarce maybe anythingbut, onceaspects of andphenotype, Dale Schweitzerguesseddiatthelarvae their life history are better understood. Lithophane were those ofLithophanejoannis. Return trips to the joannis Cove11 and Metzler was not described until samepullout along Newfound Gap Roadin 2002, 2003, 1992. Prior to the authors' distribution of paratypes and 2004, yielded additional examples of the there were no specimens of L. joannis in any major Lithophane. Typically, onlyoneortwocaterpillarswere eastern institution, i.e., the Smithsonian, American collected each year. Unfortunately, I failed repeatedly Museum, and Carnegie Museum. NotWilliam Forbes; to rear examples through to the adult stage- norJackFranclemont, DougFerguson, MichaelPogue, inappropriate foliage was offered or larvae were lost Eric Quinter, or Tim McCabe has collected the moth. during the obligator)- four-month prepupal diapause — , Dale Schweitzerwrotehis dissertation onthetribe he common to Lithophane and other xylenines. In 2005, has yet to see the moth alive. Despite year-round while light trapping at the same site above die surveys in—Great Smoky Mountains National Park Chimneys Picnic area, I thoroughly searched the same (GSMNP) and especially over the last five years 4m yellowbuckeye tree that had Yielded caterpillars in during which time die Park has been die focus of everyyearprevious. Nine Lithophane caterpillarswere intensive s—urveys as part of its "All Taxon Biodiversity found in 20 minutes ofsearching (by flashlight). The Inventory" the moth escaped detection. Yet larvaewerefeeding,perchedondieundersideofleaves, Lithophanejoannis is among the Park's most common orobservedwalkingalongthetrunk, withthe exception lepidopterans in middle elevation cove forests. of two larvae that were recovered from within leaf On 19 May 2001 I collected two Lithophane larvae shelters. Both of these latter individuals were in the crawling up the trunk of a small yellow buckeye tree process ofmolting. (Aesculus flava Ait.) (Hippocastanaceae) while Returning to the same area two days later (20 May, collecting modis at a sheet and mercury light (with 2005), I happened upon abuckeye treewidi numerous Doug Ferguson), above the Chimneys Campground leafshelters. Upon openingthe first, I foundalastinstar (1000m) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Lithophane. Searching this same tree I counted more Sevier County, Tennessee. The caterpillars looked than20additionalLithophanejoanniscaterpillarsinless similar to diose of the innominata group (e.g., L. than 10 minutes byopeningother leafshelters. Nearly hemina Grote, L. patefacta (Walker), L. petulca Grote everyshelterhad acaterpillar and some two (fewifany and L. innominata (Small), and others), but different ofthese Yvere in the process ofa molt). No additional