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Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 35(2), 1981, 158
OBSERVATION OF AN AGGREGATION OF EPISCADA HYMENAEA PRITTEV. (ITHOMIIDAE) IN PARAGUAY
A large aggregation of Episcada hymenaea Prittev. was observed at 1630 hr, 50 minutes before sunset on 21 July 1979. The location of the aggregation was a wooded area 90 m above sea level bordering an unnamed stream 0.5 km NNW of the intersection of the railroad with Avenida Meal. Lopez (the principal SW to NE road) in Aregua, Departamento Central, Paraguay. The habitat was a dense forest of shrubby trees 5 to 7 m in height. The temperature was 20°C, the sky was clear, and there was no wind. Thousands of the butterflies rested closely together on the foliage of at least two species of trees over an area approximately 75 x 25 m in extent. Each individual stood in a plane parallel to the surface on which it rested. Within this plane the long axis of the body was as nearly vertical as possible with the anterior above the posterior end. The butterflies could be quietly approached, but flew off when a branch was shaken or when attempts were made to catch them by hand.
Evidence was observed which may reflect on the cause of the aggregation. First of all, the presence of the butterflies on various species of plants suggests that oviposition was not involved. Second, the absence of any pupal exuviae precludes the possibility of a mass emergence. The facts that July is in the middle of the season of abundance of this day-flying species in the Aregua area and that the observation took place at a time of rapidly waning light suggest that the aggregation was the result of the sum of local movements at the end of a period of activity.
The author would like to thank Dr. James G. Sternburg, Department of Entomology, University of Illinois, for identifying the specimens.
Daniel Strickman, Institute* de Ciencias Bdsicas, Universidad Nacional de Asuncion, Asuncion, Paraguay.
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 35(2), 1981, 158-159
A LOCALIZED ABERRATION IN SATYRIUM CALANUS FALACER (LYCAENIDAE) IN NEW JERSEY
On the afternoon of 24 June 1980, while collecting near Lakehurst, New Jersey (Ocean County), I captured six aberrant Satyrium calanus falacer (Godart) on which the postmedian band of the ventral forewing was connected to the cell-end bar by horizontal bands. In addition I found several specimens displaying intermediate characteristics. Four of these butterflies are illustrated in Fig. 1.
What is so unique about this catch is that within a two hour period all of these were caught while feeding on the same patch of dogbane (Apocynum). Over the next two weeks I especially sought and failed to find additional aberrant specimens during my collecting in Bergen and Sussex Counties, New Jersey and Rockland County, New York. I returned to Lakehurst on 5 July and collected 247 falacer from various collecting sites near this town. Of these, three were similar to the above; two were col-