ZDENĚK FRIC* & MARTIN KONVIČKA**
*Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
**Department of Botany, Faculty of Sciences, Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
Correspondence to: Zdeněk Fric, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice, CZ-37005, Czech Republic. E-mail: zdenek.fric@tix.bf.jcu.cz
Summary.
Adult population structure and behaviour of spring and summer generations of Araschnia levana (L.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) were studied in order to describe differences in ecological traits between seasonal generations of the polyphenic species. More numerous summer generation had an unambiguously open population structure, while the population structure of the spring generation tended to be closed. Capture and estimated sex ratios were male-biased in both generations, probably owing to lower site tenacity of females. There were marked diurnal changes in behaviour of both generations. Both sexes fed on flowers during the mornings and late afternoons, while in the early afternoons males perched in aggregations with some features of typical leks. Females were only rarely seen during that time, their appearance provoked males to chase them. Butterflies of the summer generation spent more time nectaring, possibly owing to higher energy requirements associated with higher mobility. Males of the summer generation spent significantly more time flying or chasing as opposed to sitting on their perches, but this might have been a recording artefact. Seasonal alternation of dispersing and sedentary generations combined with a lek assembly might be the features which allow the species to respond rapidly to environmental changes.
Whole article in:
Fric, Z. & Konvička, M. (2000) Adult population structure and behaviour of two seasonal generations of the European Map Butterfly, Araschnia levana, species with seasonal polyphenism (Nymphalidae). Nota lepidopterologica, 23, 2-25.