nights with Vanessa ;-)

[Todd Redhead]

Question from a Beginner...

We have been discussing the various sightings of Vanessa spp flying at
night - why would a butterfly not be able to fly at night?  Assuming the
temps are warm enough - is it the lack of light for direction?

Todd

Richard Worth wrote:

> Andy and all,
> I have, too, at times seen crepuscular/noct. behavior in 3 sp. of
> Vanessa.  Growing up in San Jose, CA, it was an almost guarantee that
> every summer,  annabella would be hanging around on the front walk of
> my parents house from late afternoon to sundown.  On warm nights, if
> I opened the garage door and had the lights on (fluorescent tubes), I
> would sometimes get one flying into the garage well after sundown.
>
> I also noticed atalanta flying at dusk around one of the buildings on
> the SJSU campus.  Also last summer here in Salem after sundown, on
> our Buddleia, one was still busy stealing nectar while the Autographa
> were already coming in
>
> During the cardui migration of the early 90's (91 or 92?), while in
> Arizona, I had a few cardui come to the collecting sheet with UV
> light, a few hours after dark, and also one came to the lights of a
> Burger King (yeah, I know I shouldn't eat that stuff) in Phoenix at
> about 11 pm.
>
> All occurrences were on warm evenings (downright hot night in
> Phoenix! ~100 deg. F)
> Rich
> Richard A. Worth
> Oregon Department of Agriculture
> Plant Division
> rworth at oda.state.or.us
> (503) 986-6461
>
>
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