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.
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 35(2), 1981, 94-100
THE GENUS CATOCALA SCHRANK COLLECTED FROM
FOUR EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA COUNTIES
(NOCTUIDAE: CATOCALINAE)
B. McDaniel and Gerald Fauske
Plant Science Department (Entomology), South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota 57007
ABSTRACT. Twenty-eight species of underwing moths were collected from eastern South Dakota by the use of light traps and a technique for collecting Catocala moths known as sugaring. Included are data on flight period, time of collection and a key to the species.
The members of the genus Catocala Schrank are commonly called underwing moths. The genus is mostly temperate in distribution and according to Forbes (1954) contains about 200 species. Sargent (1976) listed 71 species east of the Mississippi River and McDunnough (1938) listed 104 North American species.
This paper treats 28 species of underwing moths, collected from four eastern South Dakota counties: Clay, Minnehaha, Lake and Brookings. Included are data on flight period, collecting methods, time of collection, and a key to species.
Methods and Materials
Collecting included the use of light traps (black-light and standard 200 watt light bulb) and the use of a technique for collecting moths known as "sugaring" (a mixture of brown sugar and beer applied to trees). Two types of specimens have been used in this study: museum specimens deposited in the South Dakota State University collection, which contains the Truman collection from Volga, and specimens collected by the use of light traps and bait (sugaring) for the years 1976 through 1979 in Minnehaha Co. and 1979 in Brookings Co. Collecting in Minnehaha was by the use of white light and bait within the city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In Brookings Co. specimens were collected from five different light trap sites using a fluorescent black light, 15 watt General Electric bulb, F15T8-BL. Three traps were placed in the city of Brookings; one trap a mile south of Volga; one trap east of Aurora.
Key to Eastern South Dakota Catocala Moths
1. Foretibiae spined______________________________
Foretibiae not spined __________________________
2. Ventral forewing with postmedial band orange___
Ventral forewing with postmedial band not orange
3. Hindwing black ________________________________
Hindwing orange______________________________
______ 2
______ 7
______ 4
______ 3
insolabilis . innubens
Volume 35, Number 2
95
4. Expanse less than 70 mm ________________________________________________ 5
Expanse greater than 70 mm _____________________________________________ 6
5. Below with thorax and base of wings whitish, above strongly mottled, both
sexes with a basal dash _______________________________________ palaeogama
Underside not as above, forewing with more even coloring, only female has basal dash_____________________________________________________________ habilis
6. Forewing mottled brown with some gray, subreniform usually closed ___piatrix
Forewing mottled gray with some brown, subreniform usually opened ______
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ neogama
7. Hind tibiae spined ______________________________________________________ 8
Hind tibiae not spined___________________________________________________ 21
8. Hindwing red or pink ___________________________________________________ 10
Hindwing orange _______________________________________________________ 18
Hindwing black with light band__________________________________________ 9
9. Band orange ______________________________________________________ cerogana
Band white _________________________________________________________ relicta
10. Ventral forewing with postmedial band having red scaling ________________ 11
Postmedial band white _________________________________________________ 12
11. Postmedial band red; expanse less than 70 mm _____________________ coccinata
Postmedial band not solid red; expanse greater than 70 mm _______________ ilia
12. Hindwing pink _________________________________________________________ 13
Hindwing red __________________________________________________________ 15
13. Forewing black with darker lines, dusted with yellow-green scales_______ cava
Forewing lighter gray, no yellow-green scales ____________________________ 14
14. Hindwing with fringe invaded with black scales at veins; basal dash usually
present; expanse greater than 70 mm ______________________________ amatrix
Fringe white; basal dash absent; expanse less than 70 mm _______ concumbens
15. Forewing with apical, basal and tornal dashes _________________________ parta
Not with all three dashes ________________________________________________ 16
16. Forewing without white_____________________________________________ luciana
Forewing with at least white subterminal line ____________________________ 17
17. Forewing with brown scaling near antemedial and postmedial lines __ arizonae Forewing with gray or blue scales in these areas _____________________ meskei
18. Reniform black _________________________________________________________ 19
Reniform gray, surrounded by black _____________________________________ 20
19. Reniform a triangle; black antemedial line widening to middle of wing______
________________________________________________________________ whitneyi
Reniform drop-shaped; antemedial line not widening _______________ nuptialis
20. Reniform surrounded by a black V whose ends touch the costa __ abbreviatella Reniform with two concentric black rings ___________________________ amestris
21. Hindwing red ____________________________________________________ ultromia
Hindwing orange _______________________________________________________ 22
22. Inner band of hindwing looped back to the base _________________________ 23
Inner band of hindwing ends at anal angle _______________________________ 25
Inner band of hindwing absent _______________________________________ arnica
23. Light streak from costa to subreniform ____________________________________ 24
Forewing uniform blue-gray, brown scaling at tornal angle ____________ grynea
24. Forewing mottled gray; ante- and postmedial lines well separated at inner
margin _____________________________________________________________ mira
Forewing mottled brown; antemedial and postmedial lines very close or touching_____________________________________________________________ blandula
25. Forewing gray; basal and tornal dashes present _____________________ clintonii
Forewing brown; subterminal lines white at costa_____________________ minuta
Specimen Records:
Catocala innubens Guenee (9 specimens): Brookings—VIII-28-76, 6; Sioux Falls— VII-12-78, 9; VIII-3-78, 9; VIII-5-78, 9; VIII-5-78, 9; VII-29-79, 8; VII-9-79, 6; VIII-
12-79, 6; Volga—VII-7-1896, 2 9 9.
96
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
Catocala piatrix Grote (2 specimens): Brookings—VII-23-57, 6; Vermillion—VII-16-46, 6.
Catocala habilis Grote (2 specimens): Volga—VII-12-1896, 6; VII-14-1896, 6.
Catocala insolabilis Guenee (3 specimens): Sioux Falls—VII-24-79, 2 9 9; VII-26-79, 6.
Catocala palaeogama Guenee (2 specimens): Sioux Falls—VII-15-79, 9; VII-20-79, 6.
Catocala neogama (Abbot and Smith) (9 specimens): Sioux Falls—VIII-13-77, 9; VII-23-78, 9; VII-3-78, 2 6 6, 9; VIII-5-78, 2 6 6; VII-22-79, 9; VIII-31-79, 6.
Catocala ilia (Cramer) (5 specimens): Brookings—VII-29-69, 9; Sioux Falls—VII-8-78, 2 9 9; VII-9-78, 6; VII-12-78, 9; Volga—reported as common (Truman, 1896), no specimens.
Catocala cerogama Guenee (3 specimens): Sioux Falls—VII-26-77, 9; VII-25-78, 6; VIII-5-78, 9; Volga—reported rare (Truman, 1897), no specimens.
Catocala relicta Walker (no specimens): Volga—reported as very rare (Truman, 1897).
Catocala parta Guenee (71 specimens): Brookings—VI1-20-70, 9; VIII-9-70, 6; Sioux Falls—VI-23-77, 9; VI-23-78, 9; VII-6-78, 6; VII-8-78, 6, 2 9 9; VII-9-78, 2 9 9; VII-12-78, 6; VIII-3-78, 9; VII-14-79, 9; VII-15-79, 6; VII-16-79, 6; VII-18-79, 3 6 6, 9;VU-l9-79,6 6 6,4 9 9; VI1-20-79, 7 6 6, 3 9 9; VII-22-79, 4 6 6, 4 9 9 FE; VII-24-79, 6 6 6, 9; VII-27-79, 6, 9; VII-28-79, 2 6 6,299; VII-29-79, 9; VII-30-79, 6; VIII-2-79, 6; VIII-9-79, 9; VIII-21-79, 9; Volga—3 6 6, 3 9 9, no dates.
Catocala meskei Grote (13 specimens): Brookings—VI11-3-22, 6; VII-9-66, 9; VIII-1-66, 9; VII-23-70, 6; Sioux Falls—VII-9-76, 9; VII-4-77, 6; VII-29-78, 9; VIII-6-79, 6, 9; VIII-15-79, 6; VIII-19-79, 6, 9; VIII-21-79, 6.
Catocala arizonae Grote (stretchii of authors) (no specimens): Volga—listed as rare (Truman, 1897).
Catocala luciana Hy. Edwards (26 specimens): Brookings—VIII-12-?, 9; VII-24-14, 6; VII-26-19, 6; VIII-15-27, 8; VIIMO-43, 8; IX-13-57, 6; VIII-19-70, 6; IX-3-79, 9; Chester—VII-12-23, 6; VI-28-29, 6; VII-27-29, 6; VII-29-29, 8; VIII-2-29, 6; Sioux Falls—VII-20-77, 6; VII-25-78, 6; VIII-3-78, 6,2 99; VIII-16-78, 6; VIII-12-79, 6; VIII-20-79, 6; IX-1-79, 8; Volga—4 ^,no dates.
Catocala concumbens Walker (2 specimens): Brookings—VII-6-66, 8; Volga—8, no date.
Catocala amatrix (Hiibner) (5 specimens): Brookings—IX-6-79, 9 ; Sioux Falls—VIII-20-78, 9; VIII-6-79, 6; VIII-18-79, 6; VIII-21-79, 9; 1 sight record VIII-28-78.
Catocala cara Guenee (4 specimens): Sioux Falls—VIII-3-78, 8; VIII-17-79, 8; 1 sight record IX-26-79; Volga—2 9 9, no dates.
Catocala abbreviatella Grote (2 specimens): Brookings—VI-25-77, 8, 9; Volga— recorded as rare (Truman, 1897), no specimens.
Catocala nuptialis Walker (4 specimens): Sioux Falls—VIII-3-78, 8; VIII-16-79, 8; VIII-29-79, 9; IX-26-79, 9.
Catocala whitneyi French (21 specimens): Brookings—VIII-8-21, 8; VIII-2-48, 9; VII-29-43, 9; VII-27-43, 9; VII-17-44, 6; VII-12-66, 9; VII-15-66, 9; VII-19-66, 9; VI-?-67, 2 6 6; VII-26-68, 6; VII-24-68, 6; VII-29-68, 6; 2 6 6, no dates; Volga—2 6 6, 4 9 9, no dates.
Catocala amestris Strecker (1 specimen): Sioux Falls—VII-12-78, 9.
Catocala coccinata Grote (1 specimen): Sioux Falls—VII-9-78, 9.
Catocala ultromia (Hiibner) (20 specimens): Brookings—VII-21-79, 6; VII-27-22, 6; VII-30-38, 9; VII-19-43, 6; VII-25-43, 6; VIII-2-43, 9; VII-20-44, 9; VII-12-48, 6; VIII-6-65, 6; VII-26-66, 6; VIII-23-68, 6; Sioux Falls—VIII-3-78, 9; VIII-5-78, 6; VIII-3-79, 6,9; VIII-12-79, 9; VIII-18-79, 9; Volga— 6, 2 9 9, no dates.
Catocala blandula Hulst(l specimen): Brookings—VII-16-66, 6.
Catocala mira Grote (21 specimens): Sioux Falls—VI-30-77, 9; VII-9-78, 6; VII-11-78, 2 9 9; VII-12-78, 6, 9; VII-14-79, 6; VII-15-79, 2 6 6; VII-16-79, 6; VII-19-79, 6; VII-23-79, 6; VII-24-79, 2 9 9; VII-26-79, 3 6 6, 9; VII-28-79, 9; VII-30-79, 6,9.
Catocala grynea (Cramer) (34 specimens): Brookings—VIII-12-42, 6; VII-25-43, 3 66; VII-27-43, 6; VIII-2-43, 2 6 6; VIII-10-43, 6; VII-20-44, 6; VIII-8-44, 2 6 6; IX-
Volume 35, Number 2
97
Table 1. Comparison of three collecting methods used for Catocala in Sioux Falls from 1976-1979.
|
Collect |
ing procedure |
||||||
|
Light |
Bait |
Resting site |
|||||
|
Species |
Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Male Female |
||
|
innubens |
3 |
3 |
|||||
|
insolahilis |
1 |
2 |
|||||
|
palaeogama |
1 |
1 |
|||||
|
neogama ilia |
5 1 |
4 3 |
|||||
|
cerogama parta meskei |
1 1 |
1 35 5 |
1 26 2 |
1 1 |
|||
|
luciana |
1 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
|||
|
cara |
2 |
||||||
|
amatrix |
2 |
2 |
|||||
|
nuptialis |
1 |
2 |
1 |
||||
|
amestris |
1 |
||||||
|
coccinata |
1 |
||||||
|
ultromia |
1 |
2 |
3 |
||||
|
mira |
2 |
1 |
10 |
7 |
|||
|
grynea clintonii |
1 |
1 |
9 1 |
7 |
1 1 |
||
|
minuta |
4 |
1 |
4 |
7 |
|||
|
arnica |
1 |
||||||
|
Totals |
9 |
9 |
88 |
73 |
3 2 |
||
|
Totals (male & female) |
18 |
161 |
5 |
||||
14-44, 6; VII-30-68, 6; VIII-6-68, 6; Sioux Falls—VII-7-77, 2 9 9; VIII-2-77, 6; VII-4-78, 6; VII-11-78, 9; VII-12-78, 2 6 6, 9; VII-22-79, 2 6 6; VII-24-79, 9; VII-27-79, 6; VII-28-79, 9; VII-30-79, 6; VIII-3-79, 6; VIII-4-79, 6,9; VIII-20-79, 9; VIII-21-79, 8; IX-5-79, 9; Volga—reported as common (Truman, 1896), no specimens.
Catocala clintonii Grote (1 specimen): Sioux Falls—VII-12-78, 6; Volga—reported as rare (Truman, 1897), no specimens.
Catocala minuta W. H. Edwards (16 specimens): Sioux Falls—VII-3-76, 2 8 6; VII-8-78, 6, 9; VII-9-78, 6,9; VII-12-78, 6,4 9 9; VII-15-79, 6; VII-23-79, 6; VII-24-79, 9; VII-30-79, 9; VIII-5-79, 6.
Catocala arnica (Hiibner) (2 specimens): Brookings—VII-26-79, 6; Sioux Falls— VIII-3-78, 9.
In the S.D.S.U. collection is a specimen of G. aholibah Strecker with the label "South Dakota" in Truman's handwriting. This is probably a Californian specimen. Truman is known to have placed South Dakota labels on some Californian material.
Discussion
In comparing the collecting methods used in this study, by far the most successful was the use of bait. A total of 161 specimens were collected at bait representing 88 males and 73 females (Table 1). This contrasts with only 18 specimens collected at light and five at resting sites. Only C. nuptialis and C. minuta had greater than 25% of specimens collected at light. Of the 63 C. parta collected, only two were
98 Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
Table 2. Flight periods of Catocala in eastern South Dakota and southern New England.
Flight period
Species Eastern South Dakota Southern New England
innubens VII-7 to VIII-28 VII-31 to IX-20
neogama VII-22 to VIII-31 VII-19 to X-14
parta VI-23 to VIII-21 VII-29 to X-14
luciana VI1-23 to IX-1 —
meskei VII-4 to VIII-21 —
whitneyi VI-? to VIII-8 —
ultromia VII-12 to VIII-18 VII-11 to IX-28
mira VI-30 to VII-30 VII-22 to VIII-28
grynea VII-4 to IX-14 VII-12 to IX-8
minuta VII-3 to VIII-5 —
not at bait. The data show that no collecting method was more effective for one sex than another.
It is interesting to note the differences in species and numbers of specimens in one locality for the years 1978 and 1979. In 1978, 58 specimens and 18 species were collected. In 1979, 116 specimens and 14 species were collected. During the two years, collecting was in the same place (Sioux Falls, S.D.), using the same procedures, and collecting in the same time frame (2030 to 0200 hours). In 1979 C. ilia, C. amestris, C. cerogama, C. coccinata, C. clintonii and C. arnica were not collected, while C. insolabilis and C. palaeogama were not seen in 1978. Of the 20 species 12 (60%) are common to both samples and eight (40%) are found in only one sample.
The unpredictability of bait has been well documented (Sargent, 1976). This was evident in our study in 1979. Catocala were found on every day in July when collecting was done, except on the 7th, and on all but five days in August (1, 7, 8, 10, 11). This contrasts with high Catocala counts for other dates (July 19, 20, 22, 24).
Differences in flight periods between Catocala of eastern South Dakota and southern New England have been found (Table 2). The New England data are from Sargent (1976). C. innubens records begin three weeks later in New England than in South Dakota. C. parta records for South Dakota begin a month before their New England counterparts. C. mira flies three weeks earlier in S.D. (there are no C. erataegi records and only one C. blandula record for S.D.).
The flight period of C. grynea begins earlier and ends later in South Dakota. This is interesting as New England records are based on many more specimens. C. grynea collected from Sioux Falls present an interesting pattern with regard to specimen conditions and dates.
Volume 35, Number 2
99
Number of Individuals
2100 2130 2200
2300 2400
0100 0200
0300 0330 0600
Fig. 1. Flight times versus numbers of Catocala for Sioux Falls, 1979.
|
p |
o |
||||||||||
|
1- |
o |
||||||||||
|
u |
a |
a o |
|||||||||
|
u |
a |
oa a a o a a |
o a a a |
a o o |
o |
||||||
|
p |
■ |
||||||||||
|
aa a o ■ °-a a |
o o |
||||||||||
|
a ooa a o |
a o a |
a |
o a o |
o |
|||||||
|
oa oo |
ooao a aao ■ |
oaaa a |
a o o |
oo 1 |
a ■ |
||||||
|
a a o" |
a a aaa a |
oa oa a o ■ |
■ |
o |
a |
oo a |
aoa |
||||
|
-i |
_____l_ |
____l_ |
___L |
____L- |
^L- |
1 |
___1____ |
_]___ |
|||
Fig. 2. Flight times broken down by sex for Catocala in Sioux Falls, 1979—filled squares represent males; open circles represent females.
100
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
Specimens collected from 22 July to 4 August range from perfectly fresh ones to weathered individuals by 4 August. Specimens collected on 20, 21 August and 5 September are again perfect. However, 1978 data do not show such a pattern. More information is needed to determine whether there is a partial second brood or delayed emergence of C. grynea in eastern South Dakota.
The greatest period of Catocala activity in Sioux Falls was between 2130 and 2400 hours (Fig. 1). The light and baited trees were checked twice weekly for periods after 0200 hours, and one night a week collecting was continued until dawn. Both light and bait were checked continuously from 2100 to 0200 hours.
Comparing Catocala flight periods and sex ratios reveals interesting patterns (Fig. 2). It was seen that the majority of males were active before 2400 hours, while females tended to show a more even flight pattern. As the season progressed flight times tended to start and end sooner. Before 31 July there were 11 records between 2400 and 0200 hours. After 31 July there were only three records, and after the 31st no records after 0200 hours.
Acknowledgments
We wish to thank Dr. A. E. Brower for aid in the determination of specimens. This work is a cooperative effort of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, Brookings, South Dakota, and the Science and Education Administration, AR, USDA, as a result of Coop Agreement Number: 12-14-3001-452.
Literature Cited
FORBES, W. T. M. 1954. Lepidoptera of New York and Neighboring States. III. Noc-tuidae. Cornell Univ. Ag. Expt. Sta., Mem. 329. 433 pp.
McDunnough, J. 1938. Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Canada and the United States of America. Part 1. Macrolepidoptera. Mem. So. Calif. Acad. Sci. Vol. 1. 275 pp.
Sargent, T. D. 1976. Legion of Night. The Underwing Moths. Univ. of Mass. Press, Amherst. 222 pp.
Smith, John B. 1891. List of Lepidoptera of Boreal America. Am. Ent. Soc, Philadelphia. 124 pp.
Truman, P. C. 1896. Lepidoptera in South Dakota. Ent. News 7: 298-299.
--------- 1897. Lepidoptera in South Dakota. Ent. News 8: 27-29.