A species distribution model (SDM) was developed for the endangered Smith's Blue butterfly, Euphilotes enoptes smithi (Lycaenidae), to predict target areas where it might be found in the rugged Santa Lucia Mountains that extend for 230 km along the Big Sur coast in Monterey County, CA. Field surveys identified 1,506 locations of the butterfly's larval foodplant and primary adult nectar plant, Eriogonum parvifolium (Polygonaceae), in this mountain range. Vegetation, soil, and geology types were identified for each of these known locations. Because all life stages of the endangered butterfly are closely associated with this foodplant, it served as a surrogate to identify new locations that might support the butterfly. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between foodplant occurrence and each of these environmental attributes. Logistic regression identified specific soil and geology types that were useful predictors of potential foodplant occurrence, but it was unable to identify comparable specific vegetation types. GIS analyses were performed to identify target areas that share the same combinations of these environmental attributes in locations known to support the foodplant. The top target areas were all characterized by soil and geology types that the logistic regression analyses corroborated were the best predictors of potential foodplant occurrence. To validate our SDM, field surveys for the foodplant and butterfly were performed at 300 predicted target locations. The foodplant and butterfly were observed at 88.4% and 80.7% of target areas or immediately adjacent to them, respectively. Results of this SDM not only provide a better understanding of this endangered butterfly's potential and actual geographic range but also the environmental attributes that constitute its suitable habitat. Furthermore, these findings will assist resource agencies in their conservation efforts to benefit this endangered butterfly.

The species-level response of organisms to habitat loss and fragmentation relies on their dispersal ability, as well as trophic level, degree of habitat specialization and landscape structure. For butterflies, community composition is affected by the landscape configuration, by the surrounding habitat and by the matrix composition scattered around forest fragments, whereas higher dispersal ability is a significant advantage for persistence in highly fragmented landscapes. However, species of butterflies are highly variable in their dispersion capabilities, which affects their genetic variability as a whole and in how it is distributed within and between subpopulations in remaining fragments. In the present study, the genetic variability in subpopulations of Paryphthimoides poltys distributed through forest fragments was evaluated. Low diversity and the absence of genetic structure was found through eight fragments of semideciduous Atlantic Forest, surrounded by agricultural matrices, in Southeastern Brazil. Although P. poltys was the most common species found in the area in a previous study, its high abundance was not accompanied by high genetic variability. The species is usually found flying in forest edges and open environments and, although low, its genetic variability is expected to be preserved even if some of the investigated forest fragments are lost in the near future.

We surveyed for caterpillars and adults of King's Hairstreak, Satyrium kingi (Klots and Clench, 1952), a globally vulnerable species found along the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Surveys were conducted at three study sites with abundant Symplocos tinctoria (L.) L'Hér. (Family: Symplocaceae), the caterpillar host plant. We found caterpillars at only one site using UV LED flashlights and adults at two of the three sites. Mating was not observed, and eggs were not found. We discuss observations of S. kingi adults and caterpillars, management of our study sites, data from habitat assessments, and recommendations for further study of S. kingi.

A new species of Holochroa from the mountains of Hidalgo, Mexico is described and illustrated. Holochroa encina Garzón-Orduña can be distinguished from the other four species in the genus by the chestnut colored forewing, the male valvae narrowing at the apex, the thinner sclerotized processes of the anellus and by the mtDNA barcode.

Studies of populations on a temporal scale are essential to accessing the real diversity of an area since species may not be distributed equally over time. The temporal distribution of species can be related to climatic conditions, such as temperature and precipitation, which play an important role in biological systems, influencing biotic interactions. Insects may optimise their life-cycles to benefit from suitable environmental conditions, including food availability and escape from predators and parasitoids. The goal of this study is to describe the temporal distribution of Eois Hübner abundance associated with species of Piper and to investigate the role of climate and parasitoid wasps on monthly distributions of immature abundance. The study was carried out in an area of Atlantic Forest in Serra do Japi Biological Reserve (SJ), Jundiaí - SP, Brazil. For 13 months, from June 2015 to July 2016, Eois immatures were sought monthly under all leaves of 24 individuals from ten Piper species and reared until the emergence of adults or parasitoids. A total of 778 immature Eois specimens were sampled, and all abundance peaks were concentrated between March to June. No correlation was found between monthly Eois distribution with precipitation and temperature. Otherwise, the results showed a time-delayed correlation between the rate of parasitism and the abundance of Eois immatures, with the highest rate of parasitism occurring after peak abundance of immatures.

Atteva aurea (Attevidae), Mesophleps adustipennis (Gelechiidae), and Hyblaea puera (Hyblaeidae) were studied in Honduras. Atteva aurea is widespread and feeds on Simarouba glauca. There were no significant differences in the larva or pupa between Honduran and North American populations to suggest a species complex. Mesophleps adustipennis was found in the seeds of Mimosa pigra in the center of the country. The immature stages are briefly described and illustrated, then compared to a few Anacampsinae. There are no records of M. adustipennis on soybean even though it is a recorded pest of that crop. Hyblaea puera was collected in Comayagua and El Zamorano. It was reared from Handroanthus ochraceus. The identification of the larva and pupa is discussed. The pilifer like lobes and unusual spiracle of the pupa are illustrated.