Butterfly incubation behavior?

[Kenelm Philip]

	One of the types of basking behavior that butterflies exhibit is
called 'ground contact' basking, in which the butterfly places its body
in direct contact with sun-warmed earth or rock. See 'Behavioral Thermo-
regulation in Butterflies', by H.K. Clench, Ecology 47:1021-1034, 1966.
Clench observed this behavior in two species of _Hesperia_. The sex of
the individuals was not specified--but I would guess from the article
that some (or most) were males.

	So it is not clear whether the observed behavior in female hack
-berry butterflies has to do with incubation--or with general basking.

							Ken Philip
fnkwp at uaf.edu