The development of artificial diets for Lepidopteran species is instrumental for the study of natural biological variation in controlled laboratory conditions. In this study, we test the ability to rear Zerene cesonia, a pierid species, on artificial diets containing varying amounts of two plant species: Dalea purpurea and Trifolium pratense. We evaluate the quality of each diet based on survivorship, developmental timing, and analyses of larval and adult coloration. This study concludes that diets that include the preferred host plant, D. purpurea, are best for rearing Z. cesonia based on survivorship and the ability to recapitulate the natural color variation observed in the wild.

Oviposition search behaviors and host-plant selection play a critical role in the individual and population success of phytophagous insects. These characters are particularly important for specialists and metapopulations. The Ozark Baltimore Checkerspot Euphydryas phaeton ozarkae (Masters 1968) Nymphalidae specializes on Smooth Yellow False Foxglove Aureolaria flava (L. 1753, Farwell 1918) Orobanchaceae and has a metapopulation structure. We examined oviposition search behaviors of E. p. ozarkae using many of the same variables from a study on the nominate subspecies, the Baltimore Checkerspot Euphydryas phaeton phaeton (Drury 1773). Insight into host selection was obtained by comparing characteristics between plants with and without egg masses. Relationships among habitat conditions (and management therein) and the most selected plant characteristics were also determined. We found E. p. ozarkae to be highly selective of oviposition plants, expressing higher values associated with host-plant searching than E. p. phaeton. Butterflies consistently oviposited on plants with the greatest height, area, number of stalks, and number of leaves within a given study site. As average plant vigor increased, however, selection of the highest character values converged and became less prominent. In general, important plant characters were greater in habitats with a more open understory and canopy, which were associated with routine fire management. Continued habitat restoration in the Ozark and Boston Mountain regions and perpetual maintenance using prescribed fire (as appropriate seasonally) may positively affect the Ozark Baltimore Checkerspot by improving plant characters selected by these butterflies.

The tropical buckeye, Junonia zonalis (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) is a recent addition to the butterfly fauna of mainland Florida. It appears that this species began to invade the mainland from the Florida Keys or Cuba by the 1930s, hybridizing with J. coenia and bringing with it mitochondrial haplotype group A, which is common in the Caribbean but is essentially absent from North American Junonia. By the 1940s, J. zonalis appears to have established populations in Miami, but eventually may have been extirpated. Later, new populations of J. zonalis may have become established on mainland Florida by subsequent waves of J. zonalis migrants. Substantial fluctuations in both population size and mitochondrial haplotype group A frequency seem to be characteristic of Florida mainland populations of J. zonalis. Populations of J. zonalis in the Florida Keys and Cuba have maintained nearly constant mitochondrial haplotype group A frequencies over many decades and may be more stable than those on the Florida mainland. Junonia zonalis specimens attributed to Chokoloskee, Florida, from the early 1900s have questionable provenance. Based on their haplotype frequency and other evidence these Chokoloskee specimens may have been collected in Cuba. Similarly, one specimen of J. zonalis likely collected during the 1880s and labeled “Indian River, Fla.” probably also originated from outside of Florida.

Review of the literature and regional faunal lists identifies 14 species of Noctuoidea that are established in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region of North America following non-deliberate introduction to the continent by man. The year that each species appeared in the region is estimated by literature review and search of regional museums. The source of each species and mode of introduction to the PNW are estimated, suggesting that over half of these species were first introduced to North America in the PNW and that most originate from western Eurasia (Europe). Their larvae are most commonly polyphagous, favoring forbs, but several recently introduced species eat grasses. Mesapamea secalis (L.) is reported for the first time for North America from southwestern British Columbia, Canada and western Washington, USA. The adults and genitalia of both sexes are described, illustrated, and compared to those of similar native species. The potential economic impact of M. secalis in North America is discussed.

Euchloe olympia was studied in a sand prairie in central Illinois each year for a period of five years to monitor behavior. Adults were followed by groups of observers; groups tracked the type of flowers utilized for nectar, the flight time between visits to plants or the substrate, the distance flown between each plant or substrate, and any additional behaviors (such as oviposition and courtships). We made over 1300 observations of 53 butterflies. Individuals were found to differ significantly in various aspects of their behavior; including nectar source, average time nectaring and flight activity. The main larval food plant was found to be Lepidium virginicum, while the main adult nectar source was found to be Nuttallanthus canadensis. Individuals consistently showed considerable constancy in the flowers they visited.