anise swallowtail & purplish copper

[Damania]

Hello! I am no great authority on lepidoptera and still fairly much a
beginner who still has a long way to go...
I have never personally witnessed butterfly introductions anywhere in my
country, so I cannot comment on how successful the attempt  would be. But I
think it is important for you to study in depth the ecology of these
butterflies that you plan to introduce. Every species has its own unique
requirements from the environment (some lycaenidae species are very specific
about the distinct species of ant that they require in the habitat) and so
without knowing what these specific requirements are, you may be unable to
provide adequately for the butterfly species you wish to introduce. Since
neither of these species is found in my country, I do not know enough to
tell you what these specific requirements may be. Do these butterflies have
any symbiotic relationships that need to be considered prior to the
introduction? I'm also wondering, does the soil type favor growth of all the
larval food plants and the host plants for both butterfly species, or would
it encourage growth of one, limit others..are they compatible? It may not be
adequate enough that the larval food plant of the purplish copper is
present, maybe the reason the butterfly is absent despite the presence of
the foodplant may be that it requires the plant to be at a specific height
or a specific growth stage or requires the proximity of the plant to another
growth related plant. Would the presence of the ocean nearby create a
barrier for the butterfly's dispersal? What about the amount of sunshine or
shade in the area? Also, does the host plant required by the butterflies
remain the same season to season or do they require different host plants
depending on the season? ...Forgive me if some of these questions sound too
naive or layman, and have already been addressed to..they're just a few
questions that occured in my neophyte head and begged to be expressed :o) I
do not know how the introduction process works..I doubt it has ever been
carried out where I live..I hope I get to learn more through this
discussion..
Smruti
-----------------------------------------------------
Miss Smruti Damania (Kenya, E.Africa)
smap at africaonline.co.ke

----- Original Message -----
From: Don Benson <don.benson at attcanada.net>
To: <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2001 11:00 PM
Subject: anise swallowtail & purplish copper


> As part of a habitat enhancement project in Richmond BC, we are planning
> to introduce anise swallowtail and purplish copper butterflies to a 14
> hectare
> site.  We will plant larval foodplants for the anise swallowtail and then
> take
> caterpillars from Boundary Bay where these butterflies are common and put
> them on the larval foodplants.  To introduce the purplish coppers we plan
to
> capture females and release them in the new site.
>
> We will plant cow parsnip (Heracleum lanatum) and seaside angelica
(Angelica
> lucida)
> for the anise swallowtail.  Laral foodplants for the purplish coppers are
> already present
> at the site.  The 14 hecatare site called Terra Nova is located on the
west
> side of Richmond,
> next to the dyke.
>
> We are not very knowledgeable about butterflies and would appreaciate any
> suggestions
> or comments that might help us.
>
> Don Benson
> don.benson at attcanada.net
>
>
>
>
>
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