Brassolid in So TX (was

[Stelenes at aol.com]

Chris,

Opsiphanes boisduvalii is at least a migrant in Northern Nuevo Leon, where I 
live.  I found one which was vouched for by a former officer of the old 
Mexico City based Soc Lep's.  It was in my back yard.  My observations were 
all in September.  The one I refer to was Sept. 1996.  These butterflies are 
VERY strong flyers, have seemed tired to me, so it would be more surprising 
that it were not making it to South Texas on its own power.  During 
August-September, something on the order of 10,000 butterflies per hour make 
it into Texas on radiator grills and wherever else, just on the two highways 
that connect Monterrey to Laredo.   I would be surprised if it had any 
meaningful residency unless it has a little Shangri-La somewhere.  So there 
is a nice challenge.

Best.  Doug Dawn.


At 04:58 PM 1999:06:21 -0500, you wrote:
  
 >I believe that *Opsiphanes boisduvalii* is a resident just
 over the border
 >in northern Nuevo Leon, Mexico. No larvae were seen in
 association with the
 >specimen collected in south Texas. Apparently no Brassolid
 has been
 >documented north of Mexico.
 >
 >Mike Quinn, Donna, TX
 >
 >
   I have seen *Opsiphanes boisduvalii* BOISDUVAL'S
 OPSIPHANES, OPSIPHANE DE
 BOISDUVAL active at dusk in tropical evergreen dry forest on
 karst
 limestone on several occasions, between Gomez Farias and La
 Florida (Mcp.
 de Gomez Farias) in Tamaulipas, Mexico. I have not seen it
 farther north
 but I suspect it in the Sierra de San Carlos and it is
 possible in the
 Sierra de Cerralvo.
   With the current climatic change I would expect to
 encounter it in Texas
 more often in future. Where are you depositing the voucher
 specimen?
 .Chris Durden