Honeydew?

Robert Dana robert.dana at dnr.state.mn.us
Mon Sep 16 11:44:50 EDT 2002


In the course of my study of Hesperia dacotae and H. ottoe in western MN
a number of years ago I observed a large number of male-female
encounters, including a bunch in small flight cages set down over the
prairie. I saw many instances of males "bumping" females similar to what
you describe. My interpretation was that the males were attempting to
get the female to fly, as it appeared to me that an in-flight
interaction involving the male dispersing androconia over the female is
crucial in triggering female receptivity (in virgin females). I never
saw a case where a male successfully mated with a virgin female without
this in-flight encounter, although sometimes this could be extremely
brief. In flight cages I would see males "bump" females after an
unsuccessful courtship flight and when the female flew the male would go
after her and try the manoeuver again, often successfully. I also saw
this behavior in free-flying ottoe. Males frequently "cruised" purple
coneflower heads as though looking for nectaring females. Several times
I saw a male land next to a nectaring female on the flower head and
"nudge" or "bump" her several times until she took flight, and off he
would go after her. These were always mated females and none of the
attempts of this kind resulted in success. I also saw this behavior in
Hesperia leonardus pawnee when I was trying to see if pawnee and
leonardus leonardus individuals would naturally mate if brought together
(no success--though I couldn't get pawnee-pawnee or leonardus-leonardus
matings in my flight cages--apparently this species wants more space for
its pre-mating flight encounter than dacotae. Same for ottoe.).

*************************************************************
Robert Dana, Ph.D.
MN DNR
Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program
500 Lafayette Rd, Box 25
St. Paul, MN 55155
651 297-2367
Email: robert.dana at dnr.state.mn.us
*************************************************************

>>> "Dale Roberts/Bill Yule" <droberts03 at SNET.Net> 9/14/02 4:42:01 PM
>>>
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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