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Post by exoticimports on Apr 22, 2021 5:38:57 GMT -8
I put this in field reports with the hope that we get both theories and follow-up field observations.
Background: 20-22 April 2021, a cold front has swept through eastern USA, depositing snow from Kentucky through Ohio and east.
The northern reaches (e.g., Upstate NY) are still in early spring. Typically early Leps such as antiopa and interrogatis will, in my experience, survive the cold. Pieris rapae, the only other butterfly on the wing will "return" but whether that is surviving adults or later emerging adults I do not know. I have seen rapae survive cold, but those I've seen physically encountering snow died. Eurytheme can survive Fall cold and snow, though there are none on the wing in Upstate NY yet.
Moving south though, where what I'd call late Spring species (e.g., Papilio glaucus) are on the wing: Leroy has reported glaucus near the Lake Erie shoreline in Ohio, and JH has reported glaucus in TN. TN didn't get it bad, but central & eastern KY did, and surely did northern Ohio.
Using glaucus as an example, what will happen to the adults that are on the wing? Will the near-eclosing pupae be killed? Shall we expect a reduced population of adults this year?
Interested in thoughts and observations as time goes on.
Thanks,
Chuck
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Post by jshuey on Apr 22, 2021 7:42:45 GMT -8
Although it's still to cold today for flying butterflies, the redbud blooms and iris came through unscathed after the 1.5 inches of snow yesterday...
j
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Post by Adam Cotton on Apr 22, 2021 8:26:48 GMT -8
exoticinsects said "Using glaucus as an example, what will happen to the adults that are on the wing? Will the near-eclosing pupae be killed? Shall we expect a reduced population of adults this year?" I think that only those pupae that had coloured up and were about to hatch would be seriously affected by a sudden cold spell. Pupae that were beginning to develop but had not yet started colouring up will probably emerge normally unless the cold spell is really long. Those that had not even begun developing will be absolutely fine. Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Apr 22, 2021 8:29:51 GMT -8
PS. I forgot to mention adults. Chances are they will probably die if the temperature falls below freezing for several days. I expect that they can survive if the daytime temperature warms up sufficiently, even if it goes below freezing for a few hours at night.
Adam.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2021 16:35:23 GMT -8
Day before yesterday it snowed here in Southern Illinois. The snow melted immediately when hitting the ground. Yesterday it only got into the 50's. When I got up this morning there was frost on the ground. It warmed up to around 60 degrees this afternoon and I saw a Papilio glaucus making its rounds. So it looks like some made it through this cold snap.
Joe
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Post by gaspipe on Apr 22, 2021 17:09:41 GMT -8
As far the current weather ; April has in my 60 plus years living in New England, and this April is typical, been a month of extremely variable weather. Year in year out I find I can still collect the species you mention sooner or later . May has always been a more reliable collecting month for these butterflies in any event.
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Post by bandrow on Apr 23, 2021 8:05:13 GMT -8
Greetings,
I visited southern Ohio the week of 5-8 April and the trees had not yet leafed out, although serviceberry was in bloom and redbud was about to pop. I took three substantial light trap samples of moths, while beetles were limited. About a 1/2" deep layer in the bottom of a 5-gallon bucket, 3 nights in a row. Also collected one orange-tip and spotted lots of others, as well as some dark skipper (aren't most?) that was too fast for me to nail. Saw some small tiger swallowtails as well.
Then this week, we had an inch of snow Wednesday and another dusting Thursday. Flowers here seem to have come through, although daffodils took a walloping. Weird scene on Wednesday - everything was coated with white in the morning from the snow overnight. I looked out later and only scattered trees retained their white coating - took me a moment to realize they were crabapples in full white bloom.
As for adult insects' response to cold - This past Monday, I got into the car and felt a tickle on my forearm. I discovered a longhorn beetle - Anelaphus pumilus - crawling up my arm. I've never seen this species as far north as Pittsburgh, and I suspect it came out of some wood I had collected in southern Ohio and had been running around inside the car for a week or more. I put it into the freezer Monday night, and on Wednesday night, I took it out and began to prepare it. I noticed movement in the palps, and realized it was not dead, after 2 nights in the freezer. It's now back in the freezer - with a pin in it this time - and will stay for a week or so before I try again...
Cheers!
Bandrow
P.S. - Once I get the moths from this trip field-pinned, I'll post some images - if for no other reason, to prove coleopterists can appreciate leps too!!
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Post by Paul K on Apr 23, 2021 8:21:03 GMT -8
Today after two days of freezing weather in Toronto ( temps were falling to -3°C and daytime high +3°C) I saw already P.rapae, I assume that it did survive low temperatures and snow as it wouldn’t be enough time for new one to emerge and dry wings to fly, it was only 11am and the temperature just slowly climbed to about 12°C after night's low near 0°C.
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Post by exoticimports on Apr 23, 2021 9:29:38 GMT -8
We had ice this morning then shot up to 12C. Saw rapae and antiopa
It’s the more southern species I’m interested in. KY and southern OH rarely see snow in April!
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Post by exoticimports on May 7, 2021 13:42:12 GMT -8
To answer my own question, following the snow in southern OH and northern KY the temperatures returned to normal (23/73) and sunny. I observed glaucus in both locations. Whether they’d survived the snow or were freshly emerged I cannot say.
Chuck
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Post by gaspipe on May 7, 2021 15:45:09 GMT -8
To answer my own question, following the snow in southern OH and northern KY the temperatures returned to normal (23/73) and sunny. I observed glaucus in both locations. Whether they’d survived the snow or were freshly emerged I cannot say. Chuck Having lived in New England my entire life this spring has in my neck of the woods not been overly unusual. Several “springs” past I’ve had a dusting of snow in my front yard on Memorial Day. Nature adapts and butterflies will fly . |
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Post by jshuey on May 8, 2021 15:30:05 GMT -8
I've been out a few times in central Indiana, and no impact that I can see. Saw a monarch last week!
John
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