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GENERAL NOTES
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 55(3), 200L, 119
NYCTEOLA FRIGIDANA WALKER (NOCTUIDAE: SARROTHRIPINAE) REPORTED AT AN UNORTHODOX BAIT
Additional key words: Gadway Barrens, New York, Salix bebbiana, insect remains.
On 15 July 1998, while attempting to compare the efficacy of two different types of bait, I noted a commonplace occurrence. Yellow jackets (Hymenoptera: Vespi-dae; Dolichovespula arenaria (Fab.)) were feeding on the fresh spattered insect remains on the front of my vehicle. An hour later, at dusk, I hung out two 30-meter long strands of cotton clothesline rope that were soaked in different bait formulas: the more traditional beer/sugar/molasses bait (Holland 1903) was being compared to a simple bait of red wine saturated with sugar. I ran the trials through uniform jack pine/blueberry habitat on the Gadway Barrens, Clinton County, New York.
The vehicle I used for transportation was parked in a 10-meter gap between the bait trials. I would pass the front of the vehicle each time I traversed the two trials. No apparent differences in habitat existed in the immediate sample area.
Five Nycteola frigidana (Wlk.) were observed probing the fresh remains of insects spattered over the windshield and front of the vehicle over the course of the night. One Caripeta piniata (Pack.)(Geometridae) and one Catocala gracilis Edw. (Noctuidae) were also recorded probing the insect remains. The insect remains on the parts of the vehicle where the N. frigidana were observed feeding were determined to be mostly Diptera and definitely not that of Lepidoptera.
The two baited ropes produced many Idia aemula Hbn., I americalis (Gn.), I. lubricalis (Gey), Catocala similis Edw., Apamea amputatrix (Fitch), A. lignicol-ora (Gn.), Phlogophora periculosa Gn., Apharetra dentata (Grt.), Pseudaletia unipuncta (Haw.), Leuca-nia pseudargyria Gn., Agrotis ipsilon (Hufn.), Noctua
One of the consequences of complete metamorphosis in Lepidoptera is that larvae and adults experience veiy different environments and selective pressures. Adult Lepidoptera are far more mobile than larvae, allowing use of a larger portion of the habitat. Adults make important decisions regarding host plants and the
pronuba L., Graphiphora auger Fab. (all Noctuidae), and Caripeta piniata (Pack.)(Geometridae), but no N. frigidana or Catocala gracilis.
Nycteola frigidana comes poorly to both bait and light. I have taken only the occasional specimen at traditional bait on the Gadway Barrens. In June, Nycteola caterpillars can be found commonly on Salix bebbiana Sarg. (Salicaceae) at this site. Additional information on the range and systematics of Nycteola can be gleaned from several sources (Fletcher 1959, McDun-nough 1943, Rindge 1961). It is apparent that alternative methods of sampling are possible for these diffi-cult-to-attract moths.
As an aside, I detected no significant differences in numbers or composition of species at the two types of bait being tested.
I thank Chris Weber for assistance in the field and in rearing caterpillars. Kathy Schneider and Ed Stain-ton introduced me to the Gadway Barrens site.
Literature Cited
Fletcher, D. S. 1959. Notes on North American species of Nycteola (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). J. N.Y. Entomol. Soc. 67:51-53.
Holland, W. J 1903. The moth book. New York: Doubleday, Page & Co. 479 pp.
McDunnough, J. 1943. Phalaenid notes and descriptions (Lepidoptera). Can. Entomol. 75:59-62.
Rindge, F. H. 1961. A synopsis of the genus Nycteola from North America, including a new species from Arizona (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). J. N.Y. Entomol. Soc. 69:203-206.
Timothy L. McCabe, New York State Museum, Cultural Education Center, Albany, New York 12230,
USA.
location of oviposition sites on this larger scale, decisions that greatly affect larval survival (Setamou et al. 1999). While many Lepidoptera demonstrate specificity in host plant oviposition sites (e.g., Haribal & Renwick 1998), it is less clear whether Lepidoptera that aerially disperse their eggs are similarly selective. Falling into
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 55(3), 2001, 119-121
HEPIALUS CALIFORNICUS (HEPIALIDAE) OVIPOSITION PREFERENCE ON THE LUPINE
LUPINUS ARBOREUS
Additional key words: dispersal, tanglefoot, aerially-dispersed eggs.