Vanessa at night - no 3

[Eduardo Marabuto]

Hi everyone

I´ve been following this thread since the beginnings but only today
 decided to give some contribution to it.
About my own findings, I must say that almost every year I find some
 butterflies in my lightraps during hot August nights.
More common findings are by far, Vanessa cardui and Vanessa atalanta
though Pararge aegeria (Satyridae) and once a male Pieris (Artogeia)
 rapae were also found.
According to my field annotations about some 15 records of this type,
 there were Vanessas coming to lightrap from sunset till about 11:30 p.m
Pararge aegeria, i must say, come much less to lightraps but i´ve often
seen them comming and fly arround my flashlight like moths when I´m in
 the middle of the night, in a field where I know they're common during
 the day. This is at about 10-12:00 pm. Maybe they're on flight only
because
 i´m walking through the grass where they rest but... who knows?
During sunrise I´m never awaken so, dont know. :) ehe

Notes about location where I made most of these findings:
 South Portugal, 37º 58º N, so, in a temperate Zone. In some 3
kilometers
 there´s no house nor street lights. Okay, a car or two passes in the
road
in each five minutes but it can´t be enough to wake up them and the road
is
 some 500 meters away...
Temperature at night may be nearly 26ºC at 11 pm.

Concretely about the posting i´m replying to, and about this whole
conversation,
I agree with Stan about its endless caracter unless we find some kind of
miracle
way to find the truth: Do they fly at night or not? Considering modern
butterflies
come from moths didn't they retain some capabilities? What kinds of
butterflies
 can indeed fly at night? I´m thinking of hedylids... do they fly at
night or by the
 day?
But is the way you mentioned to find out if they fly at night, running
night traps
(I suppose, based on light?) considered artificial light? If they are,
this won't
really come to an end!
Why not use infra-red glasses to see at night?

All the best

Eduardo Marabuto
Portugal



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