| Behr's
Hairstreak Satyrium behrii crossi Emerging Males |
| Home - Butterflies - Details |
| Immatures Adults Female Eclosure Specimen |
| #6 Male Emerging - 10:47 A.M. 30 May 2013 |
| Climbing Twig |
| Inflating Wings |
| Inflating Wings |
| The oval, tan scent patches on forewings indicate male |
| Inflating Wings |
| Close-Up - Face and Legs |
| Close-up of Wing |
| Drying Wings |
| #4 Emerged 11:02, 30 May 2013 |
| #4 Emerged 11:02, 30 May 2013 |
| PHOTO DETAILS -
©Nicky Davis LOCATION: Nicky Davis, Les Davis and Jack Harry located female 28 June 2012, 5.5miles SE of Orem, 1 mile East North East of Squaw Mountain, Utah County, Utah Female was nectaring on yellow and white flowers in the area GPS - N. 40.16.559, W 111.36.025 ELEVATION: 7541 feet HOST PLANT and HABITAT: Per Jack Harry larvae eat the buds and flowers of Cercocarpus ledifolius. In "Butterflies of North America" Scott shows the host to be leaves of Cercocarpus montanus. In "Life Histories of Cascadia Butterflies" David G. James and David Nunnallee lists Purshia tridentata as the host plant and report that the young larvae fed only on buds but switched to leaves when they were half grown. Cercocarpus ledifolius
(Curl-leaf mahogany)
Cercocarpus montanus (Mountain mahogany) Purshia tridentata (Antelope Bitterbrush) Photos of the behrii area OVA - Two females oviposited 114 ova over six days. They over wintered as ova. LARVAE (ALSO CALLED INSTARS AS IN FIRST, SECOND, THIRD FOURTH OR FIFTH INSTAR) - Some ova were removed from hibernation on the 18th of April and some on the 22nd of April 2013. Eggs were kept in a cello cup and misted once a day until they emerged. The cello cups (tiny plastic containers) were kept about 14 inches underneath a "Grow Light" for 15 hours a day and then in the dark for the night. Since they have already gone through their hibernation period, the light probably makes little difference. At 8:30 A.M. of the 26th of April the first ovum emerged from the ones taken out on the 22nd of April. After it ate the remaining contents of the egg shell it was placed on a bud of a Purshia tridentata flower. It was 1.5 mm long. At 12:30 another ovum emerged and this one was placed on a bud of a Cercocarpus ledifolius flower. They were placed on buds using a wet #1, 7050 Script Loew-Cornell brush which is good because it doesn't injure the tiny larvae. Eight larvae total emerged and some were placed on Cercocarpus ledifolius and some on Purshia tridentata. They started feeding on the outside of the buds and ate through to the center. By the time they were third and fourth instars they were feeding on flower petals. None of them ever fed on leaves. Some fed on Cercocarpus ledifolius and some on Purshia tridentata. 2ND INSTARS #3 larva on ledifolius was seen and photographed molting to second instar 4:17 P.M. 1 May 2013. In the photos you can see it's old head case and skin. #2 second instar on ledifolius measured 3 mm 4:30 P.M. 1 May 2013. They both were still a pink/orange color at five days old. 3RD INSTARS #2 molted to third instar 5 May 2013 on host plant ledifolius, 7 mm long on 6 May 2013 and a soft green color. #3 set to molt 6 May 2013 On 6 May I noticed one of the larvae on the Purshia tridentata was eating on a flower petal rather than staying on a bud which is good since the tridentata and ledifolius buds had flowered by then. 4TH INSTARS #2 molted to 4th instar 6:50 A.M. 10 May 2013 on host plant ledifolius. #1 molted to 4th instar before 7:00 A.M. 10 May 2013 on host plant tridentata noted by exuvia left on plant. #2 - 12 May 2013 lateral #2 - 12 May 2013 close-up of head PUPAE Larvae #4 that emerged on 26th of April and #6 that hatched on 27th of April and fed on tridentata walked off the plant 14 May 2013. They were put back on but walked off again and were then put in separate small cello cups on a round of brown paper towel and a a tented round over the top. They both pupated before 8 A.M. 17 May 2013. After they pupate I mist them with water daily. #2 Feeding on ledifolius walked off plant 16 May and was pre-pupa 17 May 2013. This one pupated on 20 May 2013. The others walked off by the 18th and pupated on 21 May 2013. Pupa #4 and #6 showed pinkish eyes on 24 May 2013 and dark eyes indicating development on the morning of 25 May 2013.. Pupa #4 and #6 showed black eyes 25 May 2013 Pupa #4 and #6 showed dark wing case with orange center on 29 May 2013 Ova overwintered Larvae Fed from 18 to 21 days before walking off the plant then 3 more days as prepupa for a total of 21 to 24 days from emerging from ova to pupating. Pupae 13 days after pupating #4 and #6 emerged (30 May 2013). Both were males. 14 days after pupating #2, a female emerged.  |