Butterflies and Moths Alex Latchininsky UW Extension Entomologist

Butterflies and Moths Alex Latchininsky, UW Extension Entomologist Cheyenne, January 22, 2007

INSECT ORDERS: MAJOR GROUPS OF INSECTS SHARING COMMON TRAITS Order of Beetles Hard shell front wings Order of True flies Only one pair of wings

WHAT IS THE COMMON TRAIT OF THE ORDER OF BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS?

Scales on the Wings x 5, 000 x 200

Butterflies Vs. Moths antennae clubbed wings folded on back at rest vertically variable, but never clubbed wings spread shingle-like horizontally

Butterflies Vs. Moths fly during the day fly during the night © A. Latchininsky 2006 slender-bodied usually brightly colored bodies stout and hairy usually drab-colored

DRAB MOTHS? Underwing moth Tiger moth Luna moth

How does the insect grow? Cicada nymphs molting Exoskeleton! Adults

Life cycle (1) - Grasshoppers Nymphal instars Eggs Adults

Life cycle (2) – Butterflies Larva Pupa Egg Adult

Swallowtails Two-tailed Swallowtail

Swallowtails Pale Tiger Swallowtail

Swallowtails How many legs? Where’s the tail? Phoebus Parnassian

Brush-footed butterflies How many legs does this Painted Lady butterfly have?

Weidemeyer’s Admiral Red Admiral Mourning Cloak

Milkweed butterflies Monarch Famous migrants

© A. Latchininsky 2006

Lesson of camouflage Monarchs or impostors? Caterpillar feeds on milkweeds

Blues and Coppers Larvae live inside ant hills

Satyrs and Skippers © A. Latchininsky 2006 Chryxus Arctic Skipper The only butterfly families which are associated with grasses

Whites and Sulphurs Alfalfa butterfly Orange Sulphur Larvae of many species damage crops or ornamentals

Casual guests or long-term tenants? Cabbage white

Feeding (and camouflage) Swallowtail larvae Puss moth larva

Excellent pollinators Clear-winged hawk moth A lazy bee?

Hawk Moths White-lined hawk moth “Crepuscular hummingbirds”

5 in Hawk moth “tongue” – proboscis – is very long, allowing it to get nectar even from very long flowers

Tree-killing moths Western tent caterpillars

White Satin Moth – a New Pest in WY

Damages Willows, poplars, aspen, cottonwood trees

To Learn More: Consult University of Wyoming Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) website: http: //uwadmnweb. uwyo. edu/Caps. Web PEST ALERTS WEED ALERTS

Giant Silk Moths Cecropia moth Polyphemus moth 8 in The largest insects in Wyoming

Wyoming state insect? Anicia Checkerspot © A. Latchininsky 2006

Wyoming state butterfly? Sheridan Hairstreak

Sheridan Hairstreak

Attracting butterflies ADULTS: casual guests? INCREASE STRUCTURAL DIVERSITY • ROCKS • PROVIDE A VARIETY OF HABITATS (SUNNY, SHADY…) • OVERLAPPING BLOOM • FLOWERS: RED, ORANGE, PURPLE AND YELLOW • TUBULAR FLOWERS ARE BETTER • BIG PATCHES ARE BETTER THAN SINGLE FLOWERS • LARVAE: long-term tenants? • KNOW FOOD PLANTS PREFERRED BY THE LARVAE

© A. Latchininsky 2006 Adult butterflies feed on nectar from flowers, but their larvae need foliage to feed on

Goldenrod plant Plants with bright yellow, red, orange or purple flowers attract butterflies and many other beneficial insects Flower fly

Foodplants of butterfly larvae Milbert’s Tortoise: Willow, sunflower Red Admiral: Nettles, hollyhocks © A. Latchininsky 2006 Fritillaries: Violets Ruddy Copper: Dock (Rumex) Monarch: Common milkweed Pine Elfin: Ponderosa ad lodgepole pines

Foodplants of butterfly larvae Weidemeyer’s Admiral: aspen, willow, cottonwood Two-Tailed Tiger: wild cherry, ornamental plums and cherry, green ash Cabbage White: cabbage, broccoli, mustards, cauliflower, ornamental kale W. Tiger Swallowtail: ash, wild cherry, aspen, cottonwood, willow, ornamental plums and cherry (purple-leaved) Painted Lady: thistles, hollyhocks Anise Swallowtail: mountain parsley, biscuit root

Foodplants of moth larvae Grote’s Underwing: willow White-Lined Hawkmoth: four-o-clocks, apple, evening primrose Relict Underwing: willow, aspen Glover’s Silkmoth: gooseberry, willow Hera Sheep moth: sagebrush Polyphemus moth: red-twig dogwood, willow

In Preparation: © A. Latchininsky 2006 Field Guide to Common Wyoming Butterflies and Moths The Guide will include pictures of adult butterflies and caterpillars, and information on larval food plants, as well as advices on attracting butterflies to gardens.

“Butterflowers”

Mini-Quiz: A Monarch or a Viceroy? Viceroy

Wyoming butterflies

University of Wyoming Insect Gallery

Questions? Call Alex Latchininsky or Scott Schell, University of Wyoming Extension Entomologists 766 -2298 or 766 -2508 latchini@uwyo. edu or sschell@uwyo. edu