Predators on Butterflies

[Stan Gorodenski]

Could it have been one or more praying mantids? I saw a slide at one of 
the lep soc meetings of numerous C. lacinia wings, no bodies, on the 
ground beneath a tree or maybe a bush. This was some where south of the 
U.S. and I think the person showing the slides said it was a praying 
mantis that did the eating. I understand that the one on Alaska would 
have to be on the ground rather than in a bush and this might pose a 
problem. I assume they have mantids in Alaska?
Stan

Kenelm W Philip wrote:

>	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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