1 174 General Notes Journal ofthe Lepidopterists’ Society JournaloftheLepidopterists'Society 62(3),2008,174-175 AN OBSERVATION OF CYMAENES TRIPUNCTUS (HESPERIIDAE) IN NORTH-CENTRAL FLORIDA Cymaenes tripunctus (Herrich-Schaffer) (Fig. 1) is a December 1983 and suggested the species might be widely distributed species occurring in southern expanding its range northward in the state. Marc C. Florida, the West Indies and southward to Argentina Minno (pers. comm.) found C. tripunctus to be locally (Pyle 1981; Cecil & Tudor 2005). The precise range of common in Broward County in 1982 to 1984. C. tripunctus in Floridahas been difficult to determine Subsequently, C. tripunctus colonies have been due to its secretive habits, as well as confusion and encountered locally in Polk (Lake Kissimmee State misidentification, in both the field and museum Park), Osceola (Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park) collections, with the similar Lerodea eufala (W. H. and Pinellas (Fort Desoto State Park, Boyd Hill Nature Edwards) and Nastra neamathla (Skinner & R. C. Center) counties in association with several larval host Williams) (Smith et al. 1994; Glassberg et al. 2000). plants, indicating further expansion of the species Long antennae, approximately one-half the length of northward (Linda Cooper, Lyn Atherton and Tim the forewing, distinguish C. tripunctus from other Adams, pers. comms.). Robinson et al. (2002) and similar-sized dark-colored hesperiid species (Opler & Minno et al. (2005) identified numerous grass species Krizek 1984; Smithetal. 1994; Glassberget al. 2000). used by C. tripunctus as larval host plants in Florida Kimball (1965) only reported a few records of C. including Digitaria ciliaris (Retz.) Koel., Tripsacum tripunctus from extreme southern Florida and the dactyloides (L.) L., Urochloa mutica (Forsk.) Nguyen, Florida Keys. In addition, manyofthe earliestbutterfly Paspalum setaceum Miehx., Panicum maximum Jaeq., lists for Florida regarded observations ofC. tripunctus and Setaria macrosperma (Scribn. & Merr.) K. Sebum. in the state as dubious or merely representing strays (Poaceae). While available food sources do not appear from Cuba (Skinner & Williams 1924; Barnes & tobealimitingfactorforC. tripunctus thecoldwinters , Benjamin 1926; McDunnough 1938). Freeman (1942) of northern Florida may prevent the species from reported the first verified sightings of C. tripunctus colonizingfurtherinto the southeastern United States. from specimens collected as early as 1937 in Miami. On 28 September 2002 we observed and The rarity of early C. tripunctus records in Florida photographed a single C. tripunctus at Newnan’s Lake suggests the species may have only colonized the state in Gainesville, Florida (Alachua County) (Fig. 2). in the relatively recent past. Lenczewski (1980) Although C. tripunctus is listed for Alachua Countyon reported C. tripunctus as abundant within Everglades the Butterflies and Moths of North America website National Park. However, Calhoun (1988) encountered (Opler et al. 2006) (http://www.butterfliesandmoths. C. tripunctus in Lee County for first time on 1 org/speeies?l=2046) this listing appears to be based on Fig. 1. Cymaenestripunctus atNewnan’sLake, Gainesville, Florida(AlachuaCounty) on28September2002 (Photo: H. L. servationin Gainesville, Florida(AlachuaCounty). Salvato). Volume 61, Number 1 175 dubious reports (John V. Calhoun, state records Freeman, H. A. 1942. Notesonsome NorthAmerican Hesperiidae compiler for Florida, pers. comm.). Therefore, to our with the description ofa new race ofPolites verna (Edwards) (Lepidoptera,Rhopalocera). Entomol. News.35: 103-106. kobnsoewrlveadtigoenofthCi.strirpeupnrcetsuesntinsnortthhe-cenfitrrsatlFcloornifdiar.meIdn Glastshbreorugg,hJb.i,noMc.uCla.rsM:iFnlonroida&. OJ.xfVo.rdCaUlnhivoeurns.ity2P0re0s0s.,BNuettwerYfolrike,s theyearsfollowingourinitial observation (2003to2007) KimbNaYl.l,2C4.2Pp.p.1965.TheLepidopteraofFlorida,anannotatedcheck- we returned to Newnan’s Lake on several occasions in list. ArthropodsofFloridaandNeighboringLandAreas. Vol. 1. the late summerand fall tosearch for C. tripunctus but Gainesville: Div.PlantIndus.,Fla. Dept.Agric.363pp,26pi. failed to re-encounterthe species. Lenczewski,B. 1980. ButterfliesofEvergladesNationalPark. Home- stead: S. Fla. Res. Ctr.Rep. T-588, Natl. Park Serv., Everglades Although we observed no signs of reproduction Natl. Park. 110pp. during our 2002 observation, several host plants for C. McDunnough,J. H. 1938. ChecklistoftheLepidopteraofCanada tSraicpcuhncatruusm, spipn.claundidngotheP.r gmraasxsismpeucmie,s,P.occsuertawcitehuimn, MinnaMone,dmM.t.hSeCo..UnC&ailtT..eAdCc.aSdtE.amtmeScsei.lo.1f: 1A1-9m29e37r.5i.cBau.ttePrafrlties1,ofMatchreoFlleopriiddoaptKeeryas.. thevicinityofNewnans Lake. Therefore C. tripunctus ScientificPublishers,Gainesville, Florida. 168pp. may have established a small temporary population at , [.F.Butler&D.W.Hall.2005.Floridabutterflycaterpillars andtheirhostplants.UniversityPressofFlorida,Gainesville.341 Newman’s Lake duringorpriorto the 2002 observation. pp. Further studies are needed to determine if C. Opler,P.A.&G.O.Krizek. 1984.ButterfliesestoftheGreatPlains. tripunctus continues to occur at Newnans Lake. In JohHn.sPHaovpuklianasn,UnRi.veEr.siSttyaPnrefsosr,dBa&ltMim.orPeo.g2u9e4(pcpo.ordinators). addition, the status and distribution of C. tripunctus 20,06. Butterflies and moths of North America. Bozeman, MT: should be monitored at the periphery of the species Mountain Prairie Information Node. http://www.butterfliesand- knownrangetoidentifyanyotherlocalizedpopulations. moths.org/(Version01302008). Pyle, R. M. 1981. TheAudubon SocietyfieldguidetoNorthAmeri- Acknowledgements Robicnasnonb,uttGe.rfSl.i,esP.RA.lfArcekde.rAy.,KIn.oJp.fK,itNcehwinYgo,rkG..9W1.6Bpep.ccaloni& L. We thank Lyn Atherton, Buck and Linda Cooper, Marc C. cMa.terHpeilrlnarasndofezA.mer2i00c2a.noHrotshtpolfanMtesxicoof.thMeemmooitrhsoafndthebuAtmteerrfil-y Minno andTimAdams forsharingtheirnoteson fieldobserva- can Entomological Institute. 69: 1-824. cteionntsraolfaCn.dtsroiuptuhnecrtnusFlaonriddait.s hWoesttplhaanntksJaothnvaVr.ioCuaslhloocuantifoonrsaisn- SkinnHeesrp,erHi.id&aeR,ofC.NoWritlhliAammesr.ica1,924P.apOenrItIhI.eTmraalnes.gAenmi.talEinatoofmotlh.e sistance in determininghistorical locations forC. tripunctus at Soc.50: 129-153. thpiahspeeanrsossr,itsihtnaecnrlcneudeaidnngdgemeonaftnthyhuesoilsadpseemcripienusbhlreialcnpagtieinoginnsu,sFlotoonriodtbaht,eaiassnpewnceuilemlse.arsoWfuoesr Smithth,eDW.esS.t,ILn.diDe.sMainldlSeorut&hF|loYr.idMai.llOexrf.or1d99U4n.ivTerhseitByutPtreersfsl,ieNseowf tmBhaearnnrtkysWJt.ohVao.tdChfaeollrhppoerudenpt,oarBii.mnpgSreFohiovgleutretenhse2.amanndusMc.riCp.t.MiWnenoalfsoortchoamn-k MYaorrk.k26H4.ppS.alvato & Holly L. Salvato, 1765 17th Avenue SW, Vero Beach Florida 32962, USA: email: , Literature Cited [email protected] Barnes, W. & F. H Benjamin. 1926. Checklist of the diurnal Lepi- dopteraofborealAmerica. Bull. So.Cal.Acad. Sci.25:3-27. Calhoun,J. V. 1988. Apartial list oi the butterflies and skippers of LeeCounty,Florida. So.Lepid.News. 10:25-28. Cech,C.&G.Tudor.2005. Butterfliesoftheeastcoast,anobservers Receivedforpublication30Jaunanj2008, revisedandaccepted12 guide. Princeton UniversityPress, Princeton, N.Y.345pp. September2008.