possible new Calycopis cecrops host

[Pavulaan at aol.com]

On August 10, 1997, I observed a female Calycopis cecrops nectaring for
several minutes on one of my Buddleia bushes.  This is a reddish-purple
flower variety.  After nectaring, she was observed walking around on the
flower cluster, curling her abdomen and straining, as if to oviposit.  After
a few tries, she finally deposited one egg at the base of one of the small
flowers, new the cluster tip.  

The egg was removed for captive rearing (sorry NABA) on fresh Buddleia plant
parts and Buddleia detritus, to offer the larva a choice.  Knowing that
cecrops is a detritus-feeder, it would be interesting to see what happens.

Interestingly, several years ago, I noticed a female cecrops ovipositing on
mulch directly beneath one of my other Buddleia bushes, a lavender-colored
variety.  No sumacs are present in, or near, my yard.  

Harry Pavulaan
Herndon, VA.