Presented by Todd Stout

Utah Lepidopterists’ SocietyApril 8, 2006

Tips on Raising North American Limenitis

(Basilarchia) species

http://www.utahlepsociety.org

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: Strategies 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. ViceroysStrategic 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 hibernacula2. Hatching ova in the lab (avoiding

desiccation)3. Setting up rearing cage4. Getting eggs out of live females5. 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-archippusL. 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-archippusNon-archippus: Female oviposition

preference

Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies

8 April 2006

Rearing L. archippus vs. non-archippusDifferences in last instar larval

structures/coloration

Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies

8 April 2006

L. lorquini fifth instar L. archippus fifth instar

Rearing L. archippus vs. non-archippus

Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies

8 April 2006

L. weidemeyeri fifth instar

L. 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. ViceroysStrategic 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. ViceroysStrategic Similarities: How to recognize immatures on

host1. 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. ViceroysStrategic Similarities: How to recognize immatures on

host2. 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. ViceroysStrategic Similarities: How to recognize immatures on

host3. 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. ViceroysStrategic Similarities: Insuring that ova do not desiccate

8 April 2006 Todd L. Stout

Tips of Raising North American Limenitis butterflies

Rearing Banded Admirals vs. ViceroysStrategic Similarities: Expose 2nd 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. ViceroysStrategic 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. ViceroysStrategic Similarities: Pushing Larvae Through to

Adult

Thank You!

Tips on Raising North American Limenitis

(Basilarchia) species

http://www.utahlepsociety.org