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Volume 29, Number 3
167
differ from those of comma. Altogether, H. uncas may resemble the ancestor of Hesperia more than juba or comma.
Acknowledgment I thank Dr. C. Don MacNeill for reviewing the manuscript.
Literature Cited
Kean, P. & A. Platt. 1973. Methods for externally sexing mature larvae and pupae of Limenitis (Nymphalidae). J. Lepid. Soc. 27: 122-129.
MacNeill, C. D. 1964. The skippers of the genus Hesperia in western North America, with special reference to California. Univ. Calif. Publ. Entom., v. 35.
Scott, J. A. 1975. Clinal intergradation of Hesperia comma Colorado (Hesperi-idae). J. Lepid. Soc. 29: 156-161.
LIFE HISTORY NOTES ON THREE TEXAS SPHINGIDAE
Manduca rustica (Fabricius ). Hodges (1971, Fasc. 21, Sphingoidea, The Moths of America North of Mexico. London) gave this species as utilizing Verbenaceae and Boraginaceae as larval foodplants. Specific Texas larval foodplants in these families are Lippia alba (Mill.) N. E. Brown (Verbenaceae) and Ehretia anacua (Berl.) I. M. Johnson (Boraginaceae). On 16 October 1974, John B. Vernon found a larva on L. alba at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park. In the laboratory the larva readily accepted the closely related Lantana camara L. and was reared to an adult. At the same location, on 23 November 1974, Frank R. Hedges and Edward C. Knudson each found a larva of rustica on E. anacua. Determination was made by comparison with color photographs of the larva previously found. These larvae would not accept the L. camara; one died and the other was vacuum freeze-dried by Hedges.
Erinnyis ello (L.). Hodges gave only Euphorbiaceae as larval foodplants for this common species. On 16 October 1974, John B. Vernon and the author found larvae on Bumelia angustifolia Nutt. (Sapotaceae) at several locations in Hidalgo Co. Larvae were found in green, dark brown, and intermediate color forms, as described in Hodges. One larva of each color form was reared to adult stage, each producing a male.
Aellopos titan (Cramer). This species is occasionally common in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, and according to Hodges the larvae feed upon Rubiaceae. A specific Texas foodplant in this family is Randia mitis L. Frank R. Hedges observed a female ovipositing upon this plant near Mission, in Hidalgo Co., on 22 September 1974. Nine ovae were collected. The larvae were reared by Hedges on another rubiaceous plant, Cephalanthus occidentalis L. (Common Buttonbush). As stated by Hodges, the larvae occurred in both green and brown color forms. One adult was reared from each color form, and the remainder of the larvae vacuum freeze-dried by Hedges in various instars.
Acknowledgment
I thank the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for the issuance of collecting permits for Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park.
Mike A. Rickard, 4628 Oakdale, Bellaire, Texas 77401.