Late Season Stuff

[Leptraps at aol.com]

I have been rearing and collecting Colias philodice and Colias eurytheme 
since the first of April 2001. With the extremely warm weather this late in 
the year, I have been in the field several times a week (Every day this week) 
looking for the two species of Colias with great success. 

I began November with 55 pupae of Colias philodice, each day I have a few 
emerge, today I had two males and four females. I only have 9 pupae remaining 
to emerge. They are typical of what are on the wing at this time. Further, 
virtually every female has been white. The last yellow female emerged 27 Oct. 
Before the females emerge, the males flutter about the pupa and attempt 
mating as they emerge. Once mated, they immediately oviposit on clovers 
(potted plants) and the larva feed briefly before disappearing into the leaf 
and debris litter in the pot. I also had 200 plus larva in various instar's, 
once they disappeared, they remained in diapause. 

I also began November with 80 plus pupae of Colias eurytheme. Only two males 
have emerged since and both of those on 2 November. Those in the field that 
still remain on the wing match those that emerged in October, and, all males 
have extensive yellow coloration along with the orange. Females were both 
orange and white. I also have 300 plus larvae in various instar's. However, 
they continue to feed on Alfalfa and enclose. They enter the litter between 4 
and 5PM and return to the plants by 11 AM. The feed aggressively. 

Heres my opinion. Colias philodice continue to emerge and will fly late into 
the fall or as long as the weather is warm. Once winter sets in, the adults 
are killed off (This may not be true, I will find out in the spring, more 
below). I assume that any remaining pupa will pass through the winter. 
However, my earliest collection of Colias philodice is 22 April and these are 
not common. Colias eurytheme will continue to fly until winter. However, 
adults will emerge in the spring much earlier. I collected several males on 
19 March and a female on 27 March. The majority of Colias philodice hibernate 
as larvae and the majority of Colias eurytheme hibernate as pupae. 

All of my rearing is conducted outdoors in cages with potted plant. I do have 
a roof structure overhead. Females that I have caged for ova always position 
themselves facing west Legs facing west). As a result, they must only open 
their wings in the morning to warm up in the sun. We have had numerous frost 
and two hard freezes. When I check the cages in the morning, during the cold 
snaps I find that they have moved into a corner and they almost huddle 
together. I almost feel as though they will hibernate. 

I got carried away. What I wanted to report was what else I find on the wing. 
On 8 November I collected a very small male of Papilio polyxenes (spring 
form). On 9 November a Junonia coenia and today 14 Nov. I collected and 
released a very fresh but small male of Danaus plexippus. I also find 
Phyciodes tharos and Clossiana bellona. I also took a Catocala vidua in a 
bait trap today. 

While on the subject of bait traps. I put two bait traps in a cane break in 
early this spring. During September and October I took numerous Papaipema 
moths in them.

Stuff flies late guys, you just got to get among them more often.
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