Bait traps for Danaus plexippus

[simosg]

Can Danaus plexippus be attracted by bait traps with fruits? Are all Nymphalidae attracted by bait traps with fruits?

Hannes

[admin]

Monarchs love watermelon & bananas....in captivity. But I have never been able to attract them, or any butterfly for that matter, by using a bait trap here in temperate Southern California. I think the bait trap thing works best in the tropics. But I'm open-minded. If anyone has caught any butterfly by using a bait trap in North America I want to hear about it.

[Adam Cotton]

I am doubtful. I never saw Danaus at fruit bait here in SE Asia (not plexippus here of course, genutia and chrysippus are the commoner species here). I think that not all groups of Nymphalidae will be attracted to fruit, although it may be a case of degrees of attraction.

Also different species are attracted depending on exactly where and how you place your traps, so maybe the positions of traps that are good for Satyrinae or Charaxinae etc are not suitable to attract Danainae.

Adam.

[timsbugs]

Clark, up here in Canada I catch tons of butterflies in my bait traps! I target Catocala so the butterflies tend to be a nuisance to me.
Every trap typically has 8-15 Nymphalis antiopa and vaualbum every day.
On top of that I regularly find:
Vanessa atalanta.
Polygonia gracilis, interrogationis, oreas and satyrus.
Nymphalis milberti.
Limenitis arthemis rubrofasciata, archippus and weidemeyerii.
Different Speyeria, Boloria, Satyrodes, Cercyonis and Coenonympha.

Plus hundreds of wasps bees and hornets, and millions of flies and mosquito’s.

And yes in all of that I find some amazing Cats.

Tim

[prillbug4]

The best way to catch them is to go from flower to flower. I've seen them feeding on golden rod and a number of other flowering plants.
Jeff Prill

[simosg]

I will have a try and tell you then. Will need some months.

Hannes

[boogtwo]

Since they are the most attracted to the nectar and larval food plants they use, I'd suggest that as being the "best" way to attract them. Might take some time for them to "discover" them if they are a rare visitor to a specific place though, be it your own garden or a natural habitat.

Here in the US they use a long list of plant species for both, espically when migrating where they select specific naturally resident plants along the way at different places as well as non resident plants commonly planted to attract them. There are some non resident ornamentals that are planted in home gardens that are nectar magnets for them, and when discovered can attract hordes of them. And if larval food plants are also present they will use them as well.

[irisscientist]

Dear Hannes,

Although quoted in the thread title that you are looking to attract Danaus pleippus, are you especially looking to attract this species in particular, or just any Danaus species? You also do not mention if you are looking to attract males, females or both sexes of this species? The reason for these questions being extremely relevant for the attraction of specimens from the Danainae subfamily of butterflies.

It has been long documented that many males of the Danainae are attracted to plant substrates containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA’s), which rarely occur in the natural kingdom. Examples of such plants include those from the plant families Boraginaceae, Apocynaceae, amongst limited others.

References on this subject matter are simply too numeral to mention and can easily be found by plugging “Danainae” and “alkaloid” into google scholar. It should be noted however that publications by Boppre and Edgar in relation to this subject matter are of extreme interest. Hartmann has done some excellent research on the pathways associated with the biosynthesis of pheromone compounds associated with the acquisition of pyrrolizidine alkaloid compounds.

Unfortunately however in relation to your particular post, Danaus pleippus is the “red herring” in this particular subfamily of butterflies as they do not appear to utilize the same courtship rituals as other members of the Danainae subfamily and it would appear that the males of these species have adopted rituals analogous to ‘rape’ in order to achieve copulation.

Lastly it should probably also be mentioned at this point, that the actual pheromone compounds of Dandidone and Hydroxydanaidal are extremely unstable, are extremely difficult to synthesize and are also extremely expensive to synthesize. Consequently they are probably not ideal substrates to be used by amateurs wishing to attract such species. However this is not what you asked and I am simply answering your question which is relevant to the attraction of Danainae species.

Wishing you every success,

irisscientist

[Adam Cotton]

As irisscientist said above, males of many Danainae are attracted to certain plants, in order to obtain alkaloids for pheromone production. A really good source of these is the plant genus Heliotrope, and it is well known that hanging crushed or dried bunches of these plants in a suitable place will attract many of these butterflies, but maybe not specifically D. plexippus males due to their sexual 'behaviour'. A google image search on "Danaus Heliotrope" will give you some images of Danaus feeding on Heliotrope flowers, including plexippus, so maybe they are also attracted at least as a nectar source. The front cover of the book Ackery et al. 1984, Milkweed Butterflies has a picture of a group of Danainae feeding on dried Heliotrope hung up to attract them.

Adam.

[papilio28570]

I have used bait traps in the past here on the east coast of USA. Butterflies lured to these traps were typically woodland and woodland border Nymphalidae species as well as most Satyridae.

I regularly place piles of rotting fruit in an opening in the woodland edge behind my property just to see what butterflies are in season and get an idea of abundance. Right now, I have a pile of rotting pears and see Limenitis, Vanessa, Polygonia, Nymphalis, Lethe, Hermeuptychia. Never saw a Skipper that I can recall.

My only use for these piles of fruit is to obtain some females for their eggs. Butterflies caught in bait traps are very rarely A1 quality.

[leptraps]

I have used bait traps for several decades and have a collection full of specimens to prove there effectiveness. I have designed a number of bait traps and have managed to collect over 100 species of butterflies in North America. I have never collected a Danaidae in a Bait Trap or have I ever seen one at Bait.

Visit my web site to learn more about bait traps and bait. It may help you improve your success with bait traps.

www.leptraps.com/baittraps.htm

I have a number of Articles about bait traps and baiting as PDF files. Email me at [e-mail] and I will send you a copy or two.

Attachments:

[Adam Cotton]

Sept 30, 2012 13:07:40 GMT -8 leptraps said:

I have never collected a Danaidae in a Bait Trap or have I ever seen one at Bait.

That seems to answer the original question quite clearly for Danaus plexippus.

I think it is qute likely that several other groups of Nyphalidae are also not interested in fruit bait. I don't know if Heliconiinae or Ithomiinae are attracted to fruit or not, for example.

Adam.

[simosg]

Yes, the question is answered, thank you. I have heared, that also Limenitis could be much better attracted by feces as with fruits.

Hannes