FW: Pale Sicklewing (Achlyodes pallida) So. TX - Oct. 24, 2003

[Mike Quinn]

New U.S. Butterfly Record photographed October 24, 2003 on the
Hidalgo-Cameron County line in southmost Texas. The following emails are
forwarded from the TX-Butterfly listserv. Mike

<http://listserv.uh.edu/archives/tx-butterfly.html>

In April of this year, Dave photographed another New U.S. Butterfly Record
in Southmost Texas at the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in Mission,
TX:

http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabast/bbeamer.html

The Rio Grande Valley is *Red Hot* right now. Mike Overton ID'ed an Osca
Skipper (Rhinthon osca) at the Sabal Palm Grove in Brownsville, TX during
the recently complete Texas Butterfly Festival. Approximately 125 species
were seen over the four day festival. (Usual totals are between 100 and 110
species.)

http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabast/#festival
_______________________________________________
Mike Quinn, New Braunfels, TX, ento at satx.rr.com
______________________________
      Texas Entomology
http://home.satx.rr.com/txento

-----Original Message-----
From: Butterfly and Lepidoptery for the state of Texas
[mailto:TX-BUTTERFLY at LISTSERV.UH.EDU]On Behalf Of David J Hanson
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 9:11 PM
To: TX-BUTTERFLY at LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Subject: Possible Pale Sicklewing


TX-Butterfliers,
I have now posted 2 photos of what may be a Pale Sicklewing to the
following website:
http://community.webshots.com/album/48849842IUvjAn
Not being familiar with other species that may look like this I have sent
the photos off for examination.  I will let you all know as soon as I
recieve the reply.
Happy Butterflying,
Dave Hanson
Mission


-----Original Message-----
From: Butterfly and Lepidoptery for the state of Texas
[mailto:TX-BUTTERFLY at LISTSERV.UH.EDU]On Behalf Of Andy Warren
Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2003 12:16 AM
To: TX-BUTTERFLY at LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Subject: Dave Hanson scores again: A. pallida from TX


Well, Dave has done it again.  He found another showy Neotropical skipper in
Texas (and the US) for the first time!

Dave's skipper is indeed Achlyodes pallida (R. Felder 1869).

Many recent literature sources treat two, very similar Achlyodes species, A.
pallida and A. selva, in NE Mexico.  Achlyodes selva has long caused
confusion
(it was described in 1953 by Evans based on variable wing characters), and
reports of pallida and selva have both been made from both Tamaulipas and
Nuevo
Leon.

Recently, Austin and Warren (2002.  Taxonomic notes on some Neotropical
skippers
(Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae): Pyrrhopyginae and Pyrginae. Dugesiana
9(2):15-49.)
made A. selva a synonym of A. pallida.  This leaves only Achlyodes pallida
with
this unique phenotype, and makes A. pallida the only possible species
represented by Dave's image.

Now, here is the neat part!  Achlyodes pallida feeds on CITRUS!  It is not a
pest of Citrus, but has been reared many times from Citrus in Mexico and
elsewhere.  If we are all lucky (and the orange-grower will never realize
it-
they do not cause extensive damage), there will be more of these coming out
of
ornamental or commercial Citrus plantings.  Look for them!  This is the
year.
Judging from Dave's photo, his individual originated very near where he
photographed it (it is a very fresh butterfly).

Yet again, great job Dave!  Fortunately, both of your new skippers to date
can
de determined without genitalic dissection (that is the exception rather
than
the rule when dealing with Neotropical skippers).

Best,
Andy Warren

======================================

-----Original Message-----
From: Butterfly and Lepidoptery for the state of Texas
[mailto:TX-BUTTERFLY at LISTSERV.UH.EDU]On Behalf Of David J Hanson
Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2003 12:44 AM
To: TX-BUTTERFLY at LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Subject: Pale Sicklewing


TX-Butterfliers,
I want to publicly thank Charlie Sassine for finding the great site on
1015 that produced the new U.S. record and Andy Warren for making it
official.
Happy Butterflying,
Dave Hanson
Mission

======================================
TX-BUTTERFLY archives: <http://listserv.uh.edu/archives/tx-butterfly.html>



 
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