Honeydew?

[Woody Woods]

One place you might look is "Insect mating systems" by Thornhill and Alcock.
I don't recall their discussing such a behavior, but if there was published
work done before that book was published (late 1980s I think) then it will
be there. I can look if you don't have access to a copy but not until the
middle of next week.

This reminded me of the brief "do butterflies urinate?" thread, where a
butterfly was observed to consume its own waste after it had come into
contact with human skin and possibly picked up salts-- if it isn't a matter
of a male checking to ensure paternity (though why not? Spermatophores are
expensive to produce -- see articles by Carol Boggs-- and males don't "want"
to waste them), then perhaps it is one butterfly can utilizing the
electrolytes or other materials being voided by another.

Woody Woods


*************************************************
William A. Woods Jr.
Department of Biology
University of Massachusetts Boston
100 Morrissey Blvd
Boston, MA 02125

Lab: 617-287-6642
Fax: 617-287-6650
*************************************************

From: "Dale Roberts/Bill Yule" <droberts03 at SNET.Net>
Reply-To: droberts03 at SNET.Net
Date: Sun, 15 Sep 2002 13:16:26 -0400
To: <keps2 at flite-tours.com>, <LEPS-L at lists.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: Honeydew?


Michael,
            Thanks for taking the time to reply to my question.  If you
could direct me to any sources or references that might discuss this aspect
of lepidopteran ethology I would appreciate that greatly.  Apparently either
my question was too mundane or others on the list have no interest in this
behavior.  Yours was the only serious response to my question.  I find it a
little discouraging that when one has a sincere question about butterfly
behavior and one tries to use the internet as a tool to educate oneself so
many knowledgable people are silent.  Thanks again.
 
                                             Bill Yule
----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Klein <mailto:keps2 at flite-tours.com>
To: droberts03 at SNET.Net ; LEPS-L at lists.yale.edu
Sent: Saturday, September 14, 2002 8:22 PM
Subject: RE: Honeydew?

My understanding is that they are courting.  I believe he is checking to see
if she is a virgin or not in preparation for mating.

 

Michael Klein 

San Diego 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu]On
Behalf Of Dale Roberts/Bill Yule
Sent: Saturday, September 14, 2002 2:42 PM
To: LEPS-L at lists.yale.edu
Subject: Honeydew? 

 

Hi all. 

    If you all can suppress the  urge to snicker I have a serious question
about a behavior I witnessed on Thursday that was unfamiliar to me.  As
silly as this sounds it happened, I saw it and now I'm asking:  Do
butterflies exchange honeydew? Can one butterfly nectar on the secretions of
another?  Watching a butterfly garden in Connecticut I was observing the
interactions of a male and female Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus). While
the female was nectaring on a flower blossom the male landed behind her and
repeatedly nipped at the end of her abdomen. This action was deliberate and
repetitive, occurring about ten times in rapid succession.  I could not see
if the male was extending his proboscis but the impression was one of an
insect nectaring on the honeydew secretion of another in the way ants nectar
on the secretions of aphids.  Each individual contact was brief, followed by
the male pulling the head back and then contacting the female abdomen tip
again.  What's going on here?  I've never noticed this before.  Thanks in
advance and if this is common behavior please excuse my naivety.

 

                                Bill Yule



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