Presented by Todd Stout Utah Lepidopterists’ Society April 8, 2006 Tips on Raising North American Limenitis (Basilarchia) species

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout 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 Limenitis immatures: Early instars: Larvae construct conspicuous perch

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies Limenitis immatures: Pre-diapausal third instars construct a rolled-leaf hibernaculum

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies 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. Attached to willow branch with silk Caterpillar

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies 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.

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies Limenitis immatures: Fifth instars

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies Limenitis immatures: Prepupa

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies Limenitis immatures: Pupa

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys Note: S trategies for raising Viceroys as compared to banded admirals and purples are very similar with one key exception.

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies 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.

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies 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

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies 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!

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies Repeating Theme of Rearing Admirals: Humidity! Which is why Limenitis populations are much more prevalent in the Eastern U.S. as compared to the West

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 Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies 8 April 2006 L. lorquini fifth instarL. archippus fifth instar

Rearing L. archippus vs. non- archippus Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies 8 April 2006 L. weidemeyeri fifth instarL. archippus fifth instar Differences in last instar larval structures/coloration

L. weidemeyeri fifth instar L. archippus fifth instar L. lorquini fifth instar L. a. arizonensis fifth instar

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys Strategic Similarities: Collecting and Obtaining ova from live females (Setting up oviposition cage)

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies 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.

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies 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

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys Strategic Similarities: How to recognize immatures on host 3. Pre-Diapausal third instars construct a rolled-leaf hibernaculum

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys Strategic Similarities: Insuring that ova do not desiccate

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys Strategic Similarities: Expose 2 nd instar larvae to 24 hours of light to insure that they don’t build hibernacula and go through to adult!

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys Strategic Similarities: Wintering Hibernacula Techniques Key: Humidity, Airflow and Protection from Predation!

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies Rearing Banded Admirals vs. Viceroys Strategic Similarities: Pushing Larvae Through to Adult

Thank You! Tips on Raising North American Limenitis (Basilarchia) species