BUGS: Archiearis

[Daniel & Monica Glaeske]

Chris Schmidt wrote:
. . . 
> A. infans feeds on birch as larvae, and is typical of the boreal forest and
> foothills region (the Cypress Hills population is quite isolated from the
> nearest boreal populations; the slight differences in markings and size of
> specimens from here may be a result of this isolation). . . . 


Thanks, Chris -- I downloaded your initial email on my work computer and
haven't been back to the main office for several days. 

If these critters are Archiearis, this may be another outlying
population.  We're a ways from the Cypress Hills (about 250 km), but the
rest of the description sounds accurate.  They are still flying, by the
way, but looking a little worn.  The Spring Azures are just flying now,
though the weather patterns here have played havoc with normal emergence
patterns (Incredibly, I saw a very nice Papilio canadensis on Saturday;
there are also larkspurs and beardtongues in full bloom when they
normally won't bloom for another 6-8 weeks; but there is still snow on
the north sides of the hills).  The north slopes of the plateau here are
draped with poplar, ash, Manitoba maple, and even some paper birch --
which is where I found these moths.  There are a few other plant and
insect species around here that lead me to speculate that the Wood
Mountain plateau was biogeographically an extension of the Cypress Hills
until recently, and there are several relict populations still
remaining.  

Any idea on what the Cypress Hills population does look like?

Daniel

St. Victor, SK
49 degrees 26' N and 105 degrees 52' W