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104 Phillips: Odd Boloria flight Vol. 19, no. 2
FLIGHT HABITS OF BOLORIA TODDI
While collecting butterflies along the Beaver River about four miles west of Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, Iowa, on 3 September 1964, from 12:45 to 1:45 P.M., I made the following observations on Boloria toddi toddi Holland. The habitat is an open place in a wooded river bottom which is used as pastureland. Flowers in bloom were: Helenium autumnale L. (sneezeweed), Solidago (tall goldenrod), Veronia altissima Nutt. (tall ironweed), and Cirsium lanceolatum (L.) (bull thistle). Trees in this particular spot are a few scrubby Crataegus (hawthorn) and Gleditsia triacanthos L. (honey locust).
I was investigating Phyciodes tliaros (Drury) and Euptoieta cluudia (Cramer), which were quite plentiful, especially on the sneezeweed, when something flew by that looked like a tiny Speyerm; I assumed it was a Boloria. I tried to capture it but to no avail. However, I was surprised in a few moments to see it or another one fly past again. Then by careful observation, I was able to ascertain that this particular Boloria had set up a territory, roughly 100 feet north and south by 500-600 feet east and west. By standing in one spot I found that the butterfly would fly past me periodically. Presently, I discovered that there were two individuals and that both were following the same pattern of flight. Both butterflies circled back and forth in a roughly clockwise motion, east to west, never alighting during the hour-long observation period and never flying very high. The flight was jerky and fast with a circular, zigzag pattern making the butterflies extremely difficult to capture. They eluded the net very easily. Finally, after three quarters of an hour, I managed to capture one of them, a male, and was thus able to identify the species. The remaining one I made no attempt to capture.
The two B. toddi paid no attention to the flowers that were in bloom. Occasionally a P. tharos that was present on the sneezeweed flowers would rise up to engage in aerial conflict with the B. toddi as they flew past, but they did not seem to pay much attention to the apparently aggressive Phyciodes. The Phyciodes also flew at the E. claudia very aggressively.
The two Boloria's were in good condition, with very bright colors, and looked as though they were freshly emerged. According to Klots (1951, Field Guide to the Butterflies: 92) this butterfly is double brooded. The two individuals which I observed must have represented the second brood, since they were so fresh late in the season.
This may be a new record for B. toddi in the Cedar Falls area, as this is the first time I have observed the species in this area.
Leonard S. Phillips, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago 16, III.
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