A preliminary study on the overwintering of Pelopidas mathias (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae) in the northern Kanto region, central Japan

DOI Web Site 14 References
  • INOUE Takenari
    Department of Forest Entomology, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 関東地方北部におけるチャバネセセリ幼虫の越冬に関する予備的研究

Search this article

Description

I observed overwintering larvae of the small branded swift, Pelopidas mathias in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture during the winter of 2006-2007. Larval density was highest in a sunny grassland situated by the wall of a building. In this environment, the larval food plant, Imperata cylindrica maintained green leaves throughout the winter, and larvae were active on warm days. Even in February, at an overwintering site that was exposed to the direct rays of the sun, the daily maximum temperature sometimes reached approximately 30℃ whereas the minimum fell to near 0℃. Larvae that were collected in the field in early April and kept in an outdoor cage successfully developed and emerged in mid May-early June as adults. These larvae molted zero to three times before pupation. The pupal period was 22-35 and 16-21 days when the pupation took place in April and May, respectively. Moreover, one adult female was caught by a Malaise trap set in the grassland near the building in mid May. From the results of the present study, larvae of P. mathias seem to be able to pass the winter in inland fields of the northern Kanto region, at least when the winter is mild.

Journal

  • Lepidoptera Science

    Lepidoptera Science 59 (1), 23-28, 2008

    THE LEPIDOPTEROLOGICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN

References(14)*help

See more

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top