Density-Dependent and -Independent Behaviors of the Adult Karner Blue (Lycaeides Melissa Samuelis) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

At 146 pine-oak barrens in central and northwestern Wisconsin USA during 1988-96, 3973 Karner blues (Lycaeides melissa samuelis Nabokov) were found in 95.4 hr of transect surveys during spring and 6896 individuals in 134.8 hr during summer. Of these, 9346 (86%) individuals were first observed copulating, feeding, flushing, flying, or involved in a non-copulatory intraspecific interaction. All these behaviors except copulation showed density-independent influences; all these behaviors also had density-dependent influences. The most frequently significant density-independent variables affecting occurrence of these behaviors were temperature, brood (spring vs. summer), and crepuscularity (time since noon). Male (rather than female or overall) Karner blue density more often significantly related to Karner blue behavior. Males showed density dependence in feeding (positive), flushing (negative), and flying (positive threshold) while females did not. Both sexes showed strong positive density dependence in non-copulatory intraspecific interactions and copulation. Flying and intraspecific interactions showed similar influences in relation to several variables, while flying and flushing had markedly opposite patterns. Males and females were also opposite in their relative tendency to be observed flushing or flying, with females more likely to be flushing, males flying. Males also showed a greater tendency to engage in non-copulatory intraspecific interactions

On the Cosmic Ray Driven Firehose Instability

The role of the non-resonant firehose instability in conditions relevant to the precursors of supernova remnant shocks is considered. Using a second order tensor expansion of the Vlasov-Fokker-Planck equation we illustrate the necessary conditions for the firehose to operate. It is found that for very fast shocks, the diffusion approximation predicts that the linear firehose growth rate is marginally faster than its resonant counterpart. Preliminary hybrid MHD-Vlasov-Fokker-Planck simulation results using young supernova relevant parameters are presented.Comment: Contribution to the 6th International Symposium on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy (Gamma2016), Heidelberg, Germany. To be published in the AIP Conference Proceeding

Variation in Timing and Abundance of Elfins (Callophrys) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in Wisconsin During 1987-1999

In Wisconsin during 1987-1999, we recorded elfin (Callophrys) individuals on 154 of 254 observation dates between 2 April and 11 July. The frosted elfin (C. irus) occurred only in central Wisconsin; brown (C. augustinus), hoary (C. polios), and Henry\u27s (c. henrici) elfins in central and northern Wisconsin; and eastern pine elfin (C. niphon) from southern to northern Wisconsin. Most individuals were eastern pine elfins, which occurred at the most sites, while Henry\u27s elfin had the fewest individuals and sites. All five elfins occurred in the most frequently visited subregion (central Wisconsin), where they all had similar median and mean observation dates for all study years pooled. For most elfins, the number of individuals observed per year covaried significantly with the span of days between first and last observation dates that year. Within species, mean and median observation dates in the earliest year(s) always occurred before the first observation date in the latest year(s). We compared the phenology of the frosted elfin flight period to the timing of olympia marble (Euchloe olympia) adults and spring Karner blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) larvae and adults. The least variable relationship was the date of first mature Karner larva (typically before first frosted elfin adult, and bracketing that date by only 8 days). Only the frosted elfin showed a significant influence of weather (temperature only) on observed density, while most elfins significantly increased the nearer to noontime. We recorded elfins in broad ranges of weather conditions and daily timing. Elfin abundance fluctuated markedly among years based on the mean of peak survey totals at the same monitoring sites in central Wisconsin each year from 1992 or 1993 to 1999. One outlier site each for frosted and eastern pine elfins had much higher peak survey totals than the other sites. Abundance fluctuations in the outlier and other sites did not correlate significantly for either species. For most elfins, the percent sites where the species was recorded as present each year covaried significantly with that year\u27s annual mean of peak survey totals. This indicates that the ability to document presence of an elfin relates to the species\u27 abundance that year. Since elfin abundance and flight timing and length varied considerably among years, the appropriate time for elfin detection must be determined individually for each year and assessments of an elfin\u27s status and abundance cannot be reliably based on surveys at only a few sites or in a few years

Factors Affecting Abundance of Adult Karner Blues (\u3ci\u3eLycaeides Melissa Samuelis\u3c/i\u3e) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in Wisconsin Surveys 1987-95

At 141 pine-oak barrens in central and northwestern Wisconsin, 3,702 Karner blues (Lycaeides melissa samuelis Nabokov) were found in 81.1 hr of transect surveys during spring and 6,094 individuals in 116.6 hr during sum­mer. Adults offive other closely related lycaenids occurred with Karner blues. The percentage of Karner blue males (of sexed individuals) correlated nega- tively with advancing date within brood, exceeded 50% on peak date within brood, but showed wide variability on a given date. Karner blues occasionally occurred up to 800 m from the nearest larval host, or in tiny, isolated host stands. However, all individuals were within 3-5 km of other larger Karner blue populations. Karner blue abundance significantly increased with decreasing latitude, increasing temperature, nearness to midpoint within brood, decreasing site canopy, increasing larval host abundance, and in summer compared to spring. Long-term monitoring sites showed dramatic but relatively similar fluctuations among broods (median of 2.8-fold change among ten brood pairs) that apparently varied by individual brood rather than season or year. Extensive dense host patches and dense Karner blues were in sites rep- resenting a diversity of management histories

Long-Term Population Monitoring of the Karner Blue (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in Wisconsin, 1990-2004

We monitored Wisconsin populations of the Karner blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis Nabokov, Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) during 1990-2004. We surveyed consecutive spring and summer broods in two contiguous central Wisconsin counties (Jackson, Wood), starting with three sites in summer 1990 and expanding to 14 sites by summer 1996 (“constant-site monitoring”). In northwestern Wisconsin (Burnett County), we started constant-site monitoring of consecutive summer broods with 11 sites in 1991, expanding to 15 sites by 1998. Population indices (Karner blue individuals per km on peak survey per site per brood) from constant sites were positively and significantly correlated with comparable indices for the same broods from “non-constant sites” (all other Karner blue sites we surveyed, which changed in number and location in each brood). The non-constant-site indices for summer 1998-2003 from the statewide Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) had no significant correlations with our constant-site and non-constant-site indices, or with constant-site indices from Fort McCoy (Monroe County, central Wisconsin). Fort McCoy indices had many significant correlations (all positive) with our constant-site indices, biased toward our indices from nearer sites, but not with our non-constant-site indices. Correlations using both spring and summer indices produced more significant effects than the same tests using only summer or spring broods. Burnett County indices never correlated significantly with indices from central Wisconsin counties ca. 250 km away, while indices from the central Wisconsin counties often covaried significantly. Thus, datasets comprising constant-site indices with \u3e6 years of surveys sampling both spring and summer broods had greater statistical power and showed stronger covariances among nearer sites. Brood size varied more in consecutive springs than consecutive summers, and the larger the geographic scale of an index, the lower this variability was. The longer the time period sampled, the larger the coefficients of variation (CV) for the mean of the indices per site, so that monitoring for shorter time periods would underestimate Karner blue population variability. For tests of trend (correlation of indices with year) with P \u3c 0.10, the sign of the coefficient was always the same for a given group of sites, no matter the type of correlation (linear or non-parametric), type of index (three-year running average or individual brood), or set of seasons used (spring and/or summer). Correlations using only summer indices or using both spring and summer indices produced similar levels of significance. Correlations using only spring indices produced fewer significant results. We classified our sites by management class used in the HCP: “shifting mosaic” (SM, in forest succession) and “permanency of habitat” (PH, rights-of-way not in succession). “Reserve” (R) had management activities exceeding the minimum required by the HCP, akin to nature reserve management. R sites had non-significant or positive near-significant trends. SM and PH had many negative significant and near-significant trends, both for fewer sites over more years and more sites for fewer years. SM sites had no tree-cutting during this study, and Karner blue abundance negatively relates to forest canopy. Conversely, routine mowing and brush-cutting in PH sites are favorable for Karner blues. But most PH sites also experienced soil-exposing events in 1996 and/or 2000-2004 that destroyed vegetation. At Crex Meadows, Karner blues appeared to increase more in the permanent non-fire refugium than at other sites there, which continued in fire management with modifications favorable for Karner blues but both the refugium and other sites has similar positive significant trends

Variation in Detecting \u3ci\u3eSchinia Indiana\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3eSchinia Lucens\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Wisconsin

Schinia indiana (Smith) and Schinia lucens (Morrison) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are diurnal moths and are well camouflaged when perched on flowers of their larval food plants: Phlox pilosa L. (Polemoniaceae) and Amorpha(Fabaceae), respectively. We recorded 264 S. indiana in diurnal surveys of 28 units of 15 sites in Jackson County, WI, and 25 units of 5 sites in Burnett County, WI, from 23 May (2006) to 15 June (1994). The longest flight periods in single years were 21 days in 1994 and 17 days in 2006. Abundance of individuals was significantly greater when phlox flowering was prepeak and peak, compared to earlier and later in phlox flowering phenology. We recorded 46 S. lucens in diurnal surveys of nine sites in six counties in southern Wisconsin and two sites in two counties in northwestern Wisconsin, from 30 June (1998) to 29 July (2002). The longest flight periods in single years statewide were 23 days (2002) and 15 days (2000). One S. indiana flushed at 16oC, but all other flushes occurred when it was \u3e 20oC, and after 7:41 hr CST. Nonetheless, we detected many S. indiana after these flushing thresholds had been reached. S. indiana was significantly more likely to move and to flush when it was warmer, sunnier, or later in the day. By contrast, S. lucens was not significantly more likely to be active when it was warmer, sunnier or later in the day. Both species showed considerable fluctuation in abundance among years. For detecting S. indiana, sunny conditions at any time of day when it is \u3c 16oC appear ideal, followed by sunny and \u3c 20oC. When S. indiana individuals are active, it is still possible to find them if great caution is taken in approaching phlox flowers, especially by using binoculars to search phlox flowers. Effective diurnal surveys for S. lucens may occur in a broad range of weather and time of day

Timing of Karner Blue (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) Larvae in Spring and Adults in Spring and Summer in Wisconsin During 1991-1998

During 1991-1998, formal surveys and incidental observations of the Karner blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) occurred on 2-8 dates each year for spring larvae and on 5-10 dates in each adult generation at 148 pine-oak barrens in ten counties of central and northwestern Wisconsin. A total of 493 spring larvae were recorded, as well as 16,039 adults (6755 in spring and 9284 in summer) in 375.5 hours of formal adult survey effort. Adult Karner blue timing varied among years by about 2-5 weeks in spring and 2.5-6 weeks in summer. The mean span between spring and summer adult generations was about 46 to 50 days for all sites pooled. In some years, Karner blue phenology appeared to speed up or slow down relative to this average span between generations. At six sites surveyed for spring and summer adults in the same 5 years, the mean date of maximum adults differed among sites by about 9.5 days in spring and 6 days in sum­mer. These sites varied in the consistency of their relative phenology (early, average, or late) between spring and summer. Consistent sites changed relatively little in shading from spring to summer because canopy was sparse or primarily evergreen. Variable sites changed in degree of insolation between spring and summer, because of the leafing out of deciduous canopy or the higher angle of the summer sun rising above the surrounding forest more. Four kinds of variability should be considered in assessments of Karner blue phenology: (1) intergenerational fluctuations in abundance, (2) phenological differences among years and (3) among sites, and (4) interannual variation in span between spring and summer generations

Spatial Synchrony in Wisconsin Karner Blue (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) Populations

We analyzed geographic patterns of Karner blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis Nabokov, Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) population fluctuations in summer broods in central and northwestern Wisconsin and spring+summer broods in central Wisconsin. We removed possible effects of population trends by analyzing residuals from a regression of each site’s population index vs. year. We then calculated correlation coefficients (r) of these residuals for all site-pairs separately for 1992- 2005 (26 sites, N = 325 site-pairs), 1995-2005 (21 sites, N = 210), and 1998-2005 (14 sites, N = 91). We analyzed patterns in these r values relative to distance between sites using correlations vs. distance and using pairwise comparisons of different distance categories (0-3 km up to 223-264 km apart). Karner blues showed significant (P \u3c 0.05) population synchrony over all distances. Spatial autocorrelation was strongest among sites \u3c3 km apart, then gradually leveled off at greater distances. Statistical power increased when we added three years but the number of sites did not decrease greatly (1995-2005 vs. 1998-2005 analyses) and when using an annual index combining spring+summer indices instead of just summer. The spatial autocorrelation extending over the entire study region suggests that environmental factors like weather provide some synchronization of Karner blue populations. Their much higher local synchrony is consistent with the species’ short dispersal distance. Their local and regional spatial autocorrelation increases the likelihood of correlated local extinctions during low fluctuation broods, especially when these coincide with unfavorable weather or adverse habitat events

Observations of Prairie Skippers \u3ci\u3e(Oarisma Poweshiek, Hesperia Dacotae, H. Ottoe, H. Leonardus Pawnee\u3c/i\u3e, and \u3ci\u3eAtrytone Arogos Iowa\u3c/i\u3e) [(Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae] in Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota During 1988-1997

In transect butterfly surveys at 40 prairies in Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota in summer each year during 1988-1997, we recorded 2403 adults of Poweshiek skipperling (Oarisma poweshiek) at 20 sites, 547 Dakota skippers (Hesperia dacotae) at 12 sites, 27 Ottoe skippers (H. ottoe) at one site, 290 Pawnee skippers (H. leonardus pawnee) at eight sites, and 81 Arogos skippers (Atrytone arogos) at nine sites. In correlations of relative density (individuals/km) of the analyzable species (all but Ottoe skipper), geographical factors (latitude and longitude) produced the most significant correlations, followed by timing (with higher numbers nearer noontime), and lastly weather (positive correlation with temperature, negative correlation with wind speed). The relative densities of these analyzable species showed more significant differences in relation to habitat factors than to variables describing diurnal activity patterns or weather conditions. Relatively higher skipper densities occurred in drier, undergraded prairie vegetation in sites with diverse rather than uniform topography. Patterns of relative density also varied among species with respect to management by idling, grazing, haying, or burning. Nectar visits by species, and by sex if possible, are reported. More instances of courtship rejection than mating were observed. On later dates in the flight period, female Dakota skippers proportionately increased and the sex ratio became more variable. With increasing relative density, the sex ratio of Dakota and Pawnee skippers became less variable and tended to- ward values in the range of about an even ratio

Government financial support for civil aircraft research, technology and development in four European countries and the United States

Data on the levels of government financial support for civil aircraft airframe and engine (CAAE) research and technology (R&T) in the United States and Europe (United Kingdom, West Germany, France and The Netherlands) and means of comparing these levels are provided. Data are presented for the years 1974-1977. European R&T expenditure data were obtained through visits to each of the four European countries, to the Washington office of the European Communities, and by a search of applicable literature. CAAE R&T expenditure data for the United States were obtained from NASA and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)