The text below is grayed out because it is not intended to be read. It is a necessarily imperfect OCR of the original and is only used by a search engine.
|
|
||||
|
1967
|
Journal of the hepidopterists Society
|
281
|
||
|
|
||||
|
A COLONY OF CALEPHELIS VIRGINIENSIS (RIODINIDAE) AT HOUSTON, TEXAS
Mike A. Rickard
4628 Oakdale, Bellaire, Texas
Although Calephelis virginiensis (Guerin-Meneville) is listed in most publications as probably occurring in Texas, its presence there has heretofore been known by only two verified records. Both are specimens in the U. S. N. M. collection; one is labelled "Texas," and the other, "Blackjack Springs, Texas." Thorough collecting has failed to turn up the species in the latter area. Recently I discovered a colony in a grassy pine flat near Delmar Stadium in northeast Houston. From 1 September to 16 November, 1966, the colony yielded thirty-nine individuals as follows:
1 Sept., 13.6 Sept., 13.8 Sept., 1 S, 2 ? 5 . 20 Sept., 1 $ . 24 Sept., 13. 25 Sept., 13. 9 Oct., 13. 30 Oct., 53 8, 3$ $. 11 Nov., 123 3, 2$ $. 8 Nov., IS, 1$. 12 Nov., IS. 13 Nov., IS. 14 Nov., 23 3, 12. 16 Nov., 1$.
Although numerous females were taken, and a wide variety of plants offered as possible oviposition substrata, the only eggs obtained were laid by one individual on its container. These produced thirteen larvae which were each offered a different foodplant; all refused to eat and died. Close observation of females in the field produced similarly negative results. The writer was on occasion assisted in these attempts by Roy O. Kendall, an authority on the life histories of Texas Rhopaloc-era. The area containing the colony is being rapidly developed into an industrial park, and it is possible that before a spring brood can appear time will have run out for the colony.
|
||||
|
|
||||