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Volume 30, Number 3
183
Schwartzkopff, J. 1965. Mechanoreception. In Rockstein, M. (Ed.) The physiology of Insecta. Vol. I. Academic Press, New York. 640 p.
Scott, J. A. 1972 (1973). Mating in butterflies. J. Res. Lep. 11: 99-127.
Smith, F. E. & E. R. Baylor. 1960. Bees, daphnia, and polarized light. Ecology 41: 360-363.
von Buddenbrock, W. 1917. Die Lichtkompassbewegungen bei den Insekten, insbesondere den Schmetterlingsraupen. Heidelberg. 181 p.
von Frisch, K. 1960. Uber der Farbensiun der Insekton. P. 19-40, in Mechanisms of colour discrimination. London-Oxford-N.Y.-Paris.
Verheijen, F. J. 1958. The mechanisms of the trapping effect of artificial light sources upon animals. Arch. Neerland Zool. 107 p.
Willington, W. G., C. R. Sullivan & G. W. Green. 1951. Polarized light and body temperature level as orientation factors in the light reactions of some hymenopterous and lepidopterous larvae. Can. J. Zool. 29: 339-351.
HILLTOPPING IN LEBANON
Considering the extensive literature on hilltopping (Shields (1967, J. Res. Lepid. 6: 69-178) gives nearly 200 references), it seems worthwhile to give a few notes from Lebanon on the topic. I do not recollect having seen previous references from the Levantine area.
After collecting the localized Euchloe belemia Esper (10 km E of Saida, 21 March 1972) for a few hours, I ascended a small rounded hillock with typical garrigue vegetation. For more than 15 min. one Papilio machaon syriacus Verity, two Vanessa carclui Linne and one Vanessa atalanta Linne were observed circling the top. One or more might briefly settle, but mostly all four were on the wing. There was little beating of the wings, most movement being a strong glide. No other butterflies were seen on the hilltop, and the species in question were not noted elsewhere in the vicinity. The weather was fine, with a breeze from the west.
A large and fresh male of Iphiclides podalirius virgatus Butler was caught on a small summit surrounded by a precipitous drop of more than 200 m on three sides, the eastern side being somewhat gentler (Cedar Mountain, 1,900 m, 17 July 1974). The specimen hardly moved its wings while gliding on the updraft produced by a breeze from the west. It must have come from Bscherre village, some 300 m lower, where the closest breeding colony is located.
In the above cases I was struck by the apparent "joie de vivre" of the ebullient circling and by the method of flight, which differed so much from that ordinarily seen. Two rare species, Papilio alexanor maccahaeus Staudinger and Elphinstonia charlonia penia Freyer, are nearly always found about the summits of stony outcrops. Their flight in such situations is quite normal, however, which may simply indicate the presence of their food plants—so far unknown in Lebanon.
I have little doubt that hilltopping is more common in the Middle East than the lack of recorded evidence suggests. The places where these singular aerobatic displays are performed are otherwise so unattractive that no entomologist would pay them a visit.
Torben B. Larsen, c/o IPPF, 18-20 Lower Regent St., London SW 1, England.