Category: Pyrgus_communis

Pyrgus communis L4 Rearing Notes (8/13/17-8/16/17)

8/16/2017

Rearing notes for a common checkerspot (Pyrgus communis) fourth larva originally found as an egg on wild mallow (Malva sp.) in Albany, California

Rearing notes 8/13/17-8/16/17:

8/16:

The larva has made a large nest on the side of the petri dish and has entered apolysis; unfortunately, we will never get to see it in the fifth instar

8/15:

The larva weighs 0.05 g
It is starting to become quite green

8/14:

The larvae is starting to get a shiny, fleshy look; the pulse is visible
It continues to build its leaf nest, now folding the entire thing together effectively into a shelter

8/13:

The larva has molted to fourth instar; the skin is noticeably thicker and hairier; the head capsule larger yet, blacker, and also quite hairy
The larva now makes well developed silken leaf nests that fold the leaf around it while it is at rest

Authors
Brian Liang

Comments

Checkerspot Skipper and West Coast Lady at Albany Hill

8/10/2017

Comments

On what is one of our last trips to Albany Hill (Albany, California), we found some checkerspot skipper (Pyrgus communis) eggs and adults and west coast lady (Vanessa annabella) eggs.

Fast and darty as always, it was hard to get close to this checkerspot skipper (Pyrgus communis) to take pictures of it. Unlike other skippers, we almost always only find them near mallow (Malva), which the larvae eat, or dry grassy areas in general where the plants grow. We have never seen them nectar at anything except for mallow flowers and the flowers of other small plants on the ground.

Although we see checkerspot skippers throughout the year, the only time we kind actually find a decent amount of their eggs is towards the end of summer. A few weeks ago we found one and today we found another with trying very hard. Of course, we have never known them to be very common around here, so it was still a nice find. We would have taken it home if we weren't leaving in a few days. We also found at least a dozen or two west coast lady (Vanessa annabella) eggs scattered around. It seems that the painted ladies (V. cardui) take the spring, red admirals (V. atalanta) take the summer, and these west coasts take the end of summer and fall.

Authors
Brian Liang

Comments

Pyrgus communis L3 Rearing Notes (8/6/17-8/10/17)

8/10/2017

Comments

Rearing notes for a common checkerspot (Pyrgus communis) third larva originally found as an egg on wild mallow (Malva sp.) in Albany, California.

Rearing notes 8/6/17-8/10/17:

8/10:

The larva has entered apolysis and once again, the head capsule underneath is enormous

8/9:

The larva is now very plump and getting white
The mallow leaf is very juicy, so there is always a ton of water that condenses on the surface of leaf; so far, the larva doesn't seem to mind

8/8:

The larva's body shape is starting to get fatter in the middle (again, typical. . .)

8/7:

The larva's body looks plump and soft; pulse is now visible

8/6:

The larva has molted to third instar and has an even larger head capsule than before; the skin is less translucent and has some hair on it, making it really look much more like a typical skipper

Authors
Brian Liang

Comments

Pyrgus communis L2 Rearing Notes (8/2/17-8/5/17)

8/5/2017

Comments

Rearing notes for a common checkerspot (Pyrgus communis) second larva originally found as an egg on wild mallow (Malva sp.) in Albany, California.

Rearing notes 8/2/17-8/5/17:

8/5:

It looks to be in apolysis now

8/4:

A brown part is developing under the head capsule which should be the new one for next instar (not sure if it's actually in apolysis though. . . it's a bit strange)

8/3:

The larva is eating a lot but for some reason hasn't made much of a nest

8/2:

The larva has molted to second instar and has a huge head capsule, giving that typical skipper look; it has moved out of its old nest so we finally changed out the leaf

Authors
Brian Liang

Comments

Pyrgus communis L1 Rearing Notes (7/30/17-8/1/17)

8/1/2017

Comments

Rearing notes for a common checkerspot (Pyrgus communis) larva originally found as an egg on wild mallow (Malva sp.) in Albany, California.

Rearing notes 7/30/17-8/1/17:

8/1:

The larva looks to be in apolysis

7/31:

As the larva gets larger, its nest and feeding hole also get bigger; it looks quite plump now so it might molt soon

7/30:

The larva has build a thin little nest around itself at the corner of the mallow leaf; when it is hungry, it crawls to the edge of the nest and feeds from the same spot at the upper layer of the leaf
When at rest, the larva curls its large head to the side of its body, a typical posture for skipper larvae

Authors
Brian Liang

Comments

Found a Checkerspot Skipper Egg

7/21/2017

Comments

Today we found a common checkerspot skipper (Pyrgus communis) egg on mallow (Malva) at Albany Hill (Albany, California).

As always, during the late summer common checkerspot skippers (Pyrgus communis) become common on mallows (Malva). It seems it is getting close and they are just starting to trickle in.

Today we found a single egg on mallow at Albany Hill. The egg is a tiny white colored dome shaped thing. Probably fresh. It was located on the underside of a leaf near the edge which is pretty typical based on last year's collections. There are actually lots of mallows growing among dead grasses and other little weeds, but there only seemed to be one plant -- a large and mature one -- that was getting all the attention because we also found some other stuff on it. We also saw an adult flying about nearby these mallows which was probably a female.

Authors
Brian Liang

Comments

Various Butterfly Sightings at Albany Hill

6/20/2017

Comments

We found mating umber skippers (Poanes melane), common checkerspot skippers (Pyrgus communis) and gray hairstreaks (Strymon melinus) at Albany Hill (Albany, California).

Once it hits summertime, we get all kinds of these common little prairie butterflies. Umber skippers (Poanes melane) are the most common skipper and gray hairstreaks (Strymon melinus) are the most common hairstreaks and we have been seeing many of them at Albany Hill these days. In fact, we witnessed two umber skippers in copula, the only ever natural butterfly pairing we have ever observed besides monarchs (Danaus plexippus). They must male must have been "done" by the time we got there because they separately promptly after taking the photograph.

We also spotted some common checkerspot skippers (Pyrgus communis) two days ago, which, despite its name isn't actually that common here. Like the gray hairstreaks, it is a mallow (Malva) feeder which is where we discovered them. They were quite likely females looking to oviposit, but from a brief glance we couldn't find any eggs. Later in the season (August to September), however, they should be very easy to find. Alas, we would be in Ithaca by then.

Authors
Brian Liang

Comments

P. communis Rearing Notes (10/24/16-11/1/16)

11/1/2016

Comments

The fifth installment of rearing notes for wild caught Common Checkered Skippers (Pyrgus communis) that we found as eggs or caterpillars on wild, introduced mallow (Malva).

Rearing notes 10/24/16-11/1/16:

11/1:

It has found its way into the cocoon of the other one. . .

10/31:

Surprise, surprise. . . it is already ready to pupate; it is quite a bit undersized compared to the others and still not very green. . .

10/30:

10/29:

Just starting to get a bit of green, but still not even close to what we would expect; this may just be natural variation within the species?

10/28:

The chrysalis is beginning to tan
The fifth instar is still not very green at all

10/27:

The fifth instar has pupated

10/26:

The fifth instar has made a loose cocoon to pupate in
The fourth instar has molted to fifth and is still extremely pale in color and not a dark green like the rest of the caterpillars of this species we have raised thus far

10/25:

The fifth instar is becoming increasingly pink and making thick silk

10/24:

Fourth instar is in apolysis for fifth
The fifth instar is ready to pupate

- Brian

Comments

P. communis Rearing Notes (10/16/16-10/23/16)

10/23/2016

Comments

The fourth installment of rearing notes for wild caught Common Checkered Skippers (Pyrgus communis) that we found as eggs or caterpillars on wild, introduced mallow (Malva).

Rearing notes 10/16/16-10/23/16:

10/23:

The fourth instar is in apolysis for fifth

10/22:

The fifth instar has started turning pink

10/21:

The fifth instar looks just about done growing; the younger one is still very yellow

10/19:

10/18:

Fourth instar has molted to fifth

10/17:

The younger of the two remaining caterpillars is very yellowish and not green like the other three we have reared

10/16:

The fifth instar has pupated inside its cocoon
The fourth instar is in apolysis for fifth

- Brian

Comments

P. communis Rearing Notes (10/8/16-10/15/16)

10/15/2016

Comments

The third installment of rearing notes for wild caught Common Checkered Skippers (Pyrgus communis) that we found as eggs or caterpillars on wild, introduced mallow (Malva).

Rearing notes 10/8/16-10/15/16:

10/15:

The chrysalis eclosed today!

10/14:

Unlike the last one which was probably had too many disturbances, this fourth instar is building a loose little cocoon
The chrysalis is becoming increasingly pharate; the wing pattern is now distinguishable

10/13: