Predators on Butterflies

[Kenelm W Philip]

	This summer I saw the aftermath of a rather severe act
of predation by an unknown predator on _Pieris angelika_
near Twelve Mile Summit on the Steese Highway, interior
Alaska. There is a good collecting site there at Reed Creek,
and large aggregations of _P. angelika_ are often seen
sitting on damp earth. This summer I got there a bit after the
peak aggregation time--and in addition to a fair number of
the butterflies standing around, the ground was littered with
the wings of _many_ individuals whose bodies were nowhere
to be seen. These detached wings were concentrated at
aggregation sites.

	I have no idea what it is that can sneak up on these
critters and consume their bodies with such apparent ease.
Normally if you alarm one individual in an aggregation the
entire flock takes off instantly.

			Ken Philip



 
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