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Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
lying just off the eastern end of the Uinta Mountains, the most southern outpost of the northern Rocky Mountains. To the north and east of Dinosaur lies the Wyoming Basin, which separates the northern and southern Rockies and forms a gap that has not been crossed by such butterflies as Euphydryas gillettii (Barnes) and Parnassius clodius Menetries.
A raft trip down the Green River in mid-July of 1981 provided an opportunity for a quick survey of the butterfly fauna of the canyons. Although during the trip (12-17 July) the river was cold, the desert floor of the canyons was hot, and few wildflowers were in bloom. In general the butterfly fauna was unexciting. Asclepias was abundant, and Danaus plexippus L. was the most prominent butterfly. Occasional individuals of Vanessa cardiu (L.) and Pieris rapae (L.) were seen, and once or twice a day a Papilio multicaudatus Kirby would fly by. In dry grassy areas Cercyonis oetus (Bdv.) was frequent, second only to monarchs in abundance. Occasionally an Erynnis afranius (Lintner) was seen. A single Colias flew by, possibly alexandra Edw.
Near Upper Disaster Falls in the Lodore Canyon, Colorado (mile 237) some thistles were in bloom. While our party was reconnoitering the rapids I took a couple of Spey-eria coronis Behr and then was attracted by the unusual silhouette of a backlighted "monarch" nectaring. A second look told me it was no monarch—indeed it was Spey-eria nokomis (Edw.), a species I had not seen before. Two males were taken of this scarce and strangely distributed fritillary—previously unknown in northwestern Colorado but present in adjacent northeastern Utah (Uintah County—Callaghan and Tid-well, 1972, J. Res. Lepid. 10:191-202; Ferris & Fisher, 1971, J. Lepid. Soc. 25:44-52).
Since mineral development is rampant in Uintah County, it is a pleasure to report this minor range extension, because it means that S. nokomis is established in a national monument where its habitat will be protected. It is clear that further exploration of the canyons of Dinosaur National Monument would be useful, to establish both the nature of the butterfly fauna earlier in the season and the extent of the S. nokomis colony.
L. P. Grey kindly identified the Speyeria coronis; John M. Burns the Erynnis.
Paul R. Ehrlich, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305.
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 37(1), 1983, 92-94
NEW BUTTERFLY DISTRIBUTION RECORDS FOR NORTHERN NEW YORK STATE
In general, the Adirondack and St. Lawrence valley regions of New York are poorly represented in entomological collections owing, in part, to a dearth of resident collectors in these regions. This is especially evident in the lack of records of many species of Lepidoptera from these areas. The following annotated list of Rhopalocera supplements Shapiro's list of the butterflies and skippers of New York (1974, Search: Agriculture, Cornell Univ. Agric. Exp. Sta. No. 12, Ithaca, N.Y., 60 pp.).
Most specimens were collected or observed at White's Hill (elev. 438 m), Parishville, in St. Lawrence County. White's Hill lies just within the northwestern boundary of the Adirondack Park and overlooks the St. Lawrence valley to the north. This area is, therefore, intermediate between the lower, very flat plain extending to the St. Lawrence River and the much higher Adirondack Mountains. Some areas of White's Hill are old fields in succession, but much of the land is second-growth deciduous forest, with pockets of hemlock and spruce.
Additional records within St. Lawrence Co. are presented from the Cranberry Lake Biological Station (CLBS), owned by the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry; and Sterling Pond, located about 13 km SE of
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White's Hill. Other records are given for Onondaga Co. and Dutchess Co. New county records are designated by an asterisk (*). The format follows Shapiro (1974, op. cit). The specimens are in the author's collection.
Satyridae
Lethe anthedon (Clark)—St. Lawrence Co.*, Parishville, 12-28 July. In 1974-75, this species was semi-abundant in rocky, sunlit deciduous woods.
Lethe eurydice (Johansson)—Dutchess Co.*, Amenia, July 1977. St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, 8-20 July. Very common locally in wet meadows, sighted frequently at CLBS in old beaver meadows.
Coenonympha tullia inornata Edwards—St. Lawrence Co.*, Parishville, 23 June 1973; 11-17 June 1975; 23-24 Aug. 1973, 75. Most often encountered in wet meadows, and two broods per year are apparent.
Euptychia cymela (Cramer)—St. Lawrence Co.*, Parishville, Sterling Pond, and CLBS, 9-25 June. Collected along margins of open deciduous woods.
Cercyonis pegala nephele (Kirby)—St. Lawrence Co.*, Parishville, 26 July 1974. In dry sloping, abandoned field. Only occasional specimens have been seen in the area. This specimen does not appear to represent an intergrade between C. pegala alope Fabr. and C. pegala nephele.
Nymphalidae
Speyeria cybele (Fabricius)—This common and widespread species has been collected frequently at Parishville and CLBS during July.
Speyeria atlantis (Edwards)—St. Lawrence Co., CLBS, 26 July-15 Aug. Not a particularly common species.
Speyeria aphrodite (Fabricius)—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, August. Common in dry, brushy fields feeding at composites.
Boloria selene myrina (Cramer)—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, 22 June 1974. In open marshy area with exposed patches of flat rock surrounded by small spruces and red maples.
Euphydryas phaeton (Drury)—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, late June to mid-July. Not particularly abundant, even where its foodplant (Chelone glabra L.) is found.
Chlosyne harrisii (Scudder)—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, 11-22 June, in boggy meadows. Collected further northward than previously recorded in New York.
Polygonia interrogationis (Fabricius)—St. Lawrence Co.*, Parishville, 9 Sept.; CLBS, 2 Aug. Onondaga Co., Lafayette Experiment Station, 20 June. The St. Lawrence Co. records extend the range more northward than previously recorded for the state. It seems doubtful that the adults overwinter in St. Lawrence Co.
Polygonia comma (Harris)—St. Lawrence Co.*, Parishville, 23 May 1975. In open woods near a long-abandoned farm. Wild hops (Humulus sp.) growing nearby may have been the foodplant.
Polygonia fannus (Edwards)—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, 7 Sept. Collected along wooded margins of a dirt road. Other records are mostly from the central Adirondacks (Shapiro, 1974 op. cit.).
Nymphalis j-album (Boisduval & LeConte)—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville. The 17 April is earliest, 25 Oct., the latest date of collection.
Nymphalis milberti (Godart)—In Aug. 1977,1 saw dozens of individuals flying about, sunning themselves, and feeding at flowers and spots of moisture on the summit of Algonquin Peak (elev. 1558 m) in Essex Co. Shapiro (1974, op. cit.) described this as a lowland species.
Nymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus)—In Syracuse (Onondaga Co.), larvae have caused mild defoliation of Hackberry trees (Celtis occidentalis L.) in ornamental plantings. Earliest sighting was 23 April in Parishville.
Vanessa atalanta (Linnaeus)—Not seen during spring months at Parishville, but only from mid- to late summer.
Vanessa cardui (Linnaeus)—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, 24 May-6 June. I have seen this species only three times at White's Hill. The specimen captured on May 24 was feeding at Dandelion flowers (Taraxacum officinale Weber).
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Vanessa virginiensis (Drury)—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville. Locally abundant in open meadows, from mid- to late summer.
Asterocampa celtis (Boisduval & LeConte)—Onondaga Co.*, Lafayette Experiment Station, and Clark Reservation State Park, 15-30 June 1978, 79. Common along Hack-berry-lined woodland roads. Previously reported from a few southern-most counties bordering Pennsylvania and on Long Island (Shapiro, 1974, op. cit).
Lycaenidae
Harkenclenus titus (Fabricius)—St. Lawrence Co.*, Parishville, CLBS, late June to early July. Commonly collected at Asclepias sp. flowers in open brushy fields.
Satyrium liparops (Boisduval & LeConte)—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, 19 July. Collected along fencerow in an old field.
Callophrys niphon (Hiibner)—St. Lawrence Co.*, Parishville, 18-24 May; Oneida Co., Boonville, 25 May. Pinus strobus L. was the only pine in the areas where specimens were taken. Shapiro (1974, op. cit.) suspected that C. niphon may utilize white pine where hard pines (P. rigida Mill.) do not occur.
Lycaena thoe (Guerin-Meneville)—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, CLBS, mid-July. These captures confirm its presence in the western Adirondacks.
Celastrina argiolus pseudargiolus (Boisduval & LeConte)—Very common in May at Parishville, especially along margins of dirt roads. May 11 is the earliest date of capture for 6 6 and 9 9 .
Papilionidae
Papilio polyxenes asterias Stoll—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, 15 Aug. Not commonly seen in this area. There are few records from the northern-most counties.
Papilio glaucus Linnaeus—The small canadensis form is found in St. Lawrence Co.*, Parishville, and CLBS, with May 22 as the earliest capture date. On June 12, 1978, I observed large numbers (over 20/min) at White's Hill. Many individuals were feeding at Orange Hawkweed blossoms (Hieracium aurantiacum L.).
Pieridae
Pieris napi oleracea Harris—Onondaga Co.*, Manlius, 3 May 1977, in open deciduous woods. St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, 17 May-27 June. Commonly collected along wooded roads.
Colias eurytheme Boisduval—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, 17 Aug.-26 Sept. Not very common around the Parishville area (1973-78), and there are few reported localities for northern New York.
Hesperiidae
Erynnis icelus (Scudder & Burgess)—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, 20 May-21 June. Common along wooded dirt roads. It is doubtful that E. brizo Boisduval & LeConte occurs in this area, as there are no oaks upon which to feed.
Erynnis baptisiae (Forbes)—Onondaga Co.*, Syracuse, 20 May.
Carterocephalus palaemon mesapano (Scudder)—St. Lawrence Co., CLBS, 4 June, in a grassy beaver meadow near a spruce bog.
Ancyloxipha numitor (Fabricius)—St. Lawrence Co.*, CLBS, July. In wet grassy areas.
Polites mystic (Scudder)—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, 18 July. In a wet meadow.
Poanes hobomok (Harris)—St. Lawrence Co., Parishville, CLBS, 26 May-18 June. A very common skipper in the county.
Amblyscirtes hegon (Scudder)—St. Lawrence Co.*, Parishville, 29 May.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank W. H. Wagner, Department of Botany, University of Michigan, for checking several identifications, and also I. J. Cantrall, Museum of Zoology, for providing helpful comments on the manuscript and offering encouragement.
Mark F. O'Brien, Insect Division, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109.