[LEPS-L:7996] Re: Long-lived leps

[Richard Worth]

For other heliconiines, check references by Gilbert and/or Singer in 
the 70's.  The work was about the ability of Heliconius to learn or 
something but I thought there was reference to how long certain 
species lived in there.
Another group of moths that I believe are long lived as larvae are 
the carpenter moths (Cossidae).  The larvae are wood-boring insects 
(like cerambycid beetles; xylem feeders) and can live quite a while 
inside a tree.  Slow development due to poor diet?  I had a prof. who 
said don't study these for a graduate degree if you want to graduate 
any time soon.  Hard to find and long lived.
Cheers, Rich


>Anne, Ken, Ron, muchas gracias! My reason for asking about long-lived
>butterflies, or moths for that matter, is that I am interested in the
>ecological and evolutionary significance of resting energy use, and that has
>led me to the odd task of measuring, well, insect breath, under unlikely
>circumstances (them) and remote locations (me). Long lifespan has often been
>associated, however indirectly, with lower resting metabolism, and that's why
>I am looking for long-lived leps. I found one good example, the satyrine
>Manataria maculata, where Bill Haber had found that adults of Costa Rican
>populations live for nearly a year while migrating in reproductive diapause.
>It turns out that Manataria's resting energy use is about half that of their
>nearest regional relatives, when corrected for body mass. Live slow, live
>long!
>
>H. charitonius is one I wish I had measured while working in Monteverde, Costa
>Rica, but they haven't been found at that altitude (about 1500 M) and I have
>missed out there so far. I understand their range extends to the southern
>states, and maybe I can manage that.  Arctic moths I do know about, but right
>now it's a separate (though fascinating) issue because they spend much time in
>the deep freeze, a little analogous to Monarchs overwintering in Mexico
>(thanks, Paul, for examples a few weeks back of other populations making it at
>higher temperatures...). For Anthocharis pupae, maybe the question is partly
>one of temperature and partly one of possible diapause. Pupae of the hawkmoth
>Manduca sexta can have a very low metabolism, independent of temperature, if
>they diapause, which they do in temperate regions.
>
>Thanks again, and I am grateful in advance for any further examples of
>long-lived leps.
>
>Woody Woods
>--
>*********************************************************
>William A. Woods Jr.
>Department of Biology
>University of Massachusetts Boston
>100 Morrissey Blvd                      Lab: 617-287-6642
>Boston, MA 02125                        Fax: 617-287-6650
>*********************************************************

Richard A. Worth
Oregon Department of Agriculture
Plant Division
rworth at oda.state.or.us
(503) 986-6461

 
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