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Volume 38, Number 1
63
bird droppings splashed on understory vegetation. Areas of tropical rain forest with disruptions in the canopy, such as light gaps and foot paths, are particularly attractive gathering places for various species of birds, perhaps because many insects, potential prey, and other arthropods are also found in these microhabitats. In turn, bird droppings occur there frequently, although perhaps in an unpredictable fashion, selecting for opportunistic foraging by female ithomiines. When large concentrations of bird droppings become available, such ithomiines, at least Mechanitis and Melinaea, may exhibit deliberate orientation to such food resources and become abundant there, as reported elsewhere (Ray and Andrews, op. cit).
I thank Luis Poveda for identification of the Godyris larval food plant, and Dr. J. Robert Hunter for allowing access to Finca La Tigra.
Allen M. Young, Invertebrate Zoology Section, Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233.
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 38(1), 1984, 63-64
SATYRIUM KINGI (LYCAENIDAE) TAKEN IN MARYLAND
At 1600 h on 22 July 1982, after spending a discouraging time collecting in three areas in Wicomico and Worcester Counties in Maryland, I caught a Satyrium kingi (Klots and Clench) near Millville, Worcester County. This capture represents a significant northward extension of the known range of this species on the coastal plain.
The orange cap on the blue spot on the hindwing ventrum showed the identity of this rare find. Its abdomen was thin, and its long tails were gone, but the slight roundness of its wings and the fact that it landed on a sweetgum sapling at about 5-6 feet above the ground corresponded with the description of Gatrelle (1974, J. Lepid. Soc. 28:33-37) of the flight habits of females. Its flight was slow, due possibly to its age, the lateness of the hour, or the deep shade in the area, but it does agree with the "sluggish" adjective used by Covell and Straley (1973, J. Lepid. Soc. 27:144-154). The very late date and the condition of the specimen (Fig. 1) indicated that this was possibly the last survivor of the season's brood.
FiG. 1. Left: S. kingi, male. Suffolk, Nansemond County, Virginia, July 1, 1974, lower aspect; Right: S. kingi, female, Millville, Worcester County, Maryland, July 22, 1982, lower aspect.
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Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
The specimen was taken along a damp trail from a sandy road, where the vegetation consisted primarily of sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.), red maple {Acer rubrum L.), white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.), loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), sweet bay {Magnolia virginiana L.), tassel-white (Itea virginica L.), blueberry (Vaccinium sp.), and sweet pepperbush {Clethra alnifolia L.), which was just coming into bloom. This habitat resembles in some respects that designated as Group A for kingi by Gatrelle (1974).
Only three worn Megisto cymela (Cramer) and one fresh male Wallengrenia otho (J. E. Smith) were seen in the same area on the date of capture. Incisalia henrici (Grote & Robinson) was common and /. augustus (Kirby) rare in the previous spring, the only other time I had collected there.
William A. Andersen (M.D.), 220 Melanchton Avenue, Lutherville, Maryland 21093.
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 38(1), 1984, 64
THE IDENTITY OF WING HAIRS IN MEGALOPYGIDAE
The wings of Megalopygidae were described as being covered with long, wrinkled or wavy hairs that gave them a wooly appearance.
By making transparent impressions of the upper surface of the front wings of both male and female Megalopyge opercularis (J. E. Smith), using the replica method described by Khalaf (1980, Fla. Entomol. 63(3):307-340), it became clear that the wings were covered with scales that were deeply divided (Figs. 1 & 2); the apices were attenuate; and the branches formed the so-called "hairs". The base of the scales was cuneate (attenuate) as in other moths.
This investigation received support from the Academic Grant Fund of Loyola University.
Kamel T. Khalaf, Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118.
FlGS. 1 & 2. Light micrograph of replica of the front wing of Megalopyge opercularis (J. E. Smith), showing deeply divided scales: 1, female; 2, male.