Pyrisitia lisa and its guild in tropical meadows (Pieridae)

Abstract

Many butterfly species have benefitted from the expansion of their open grassland habitat. One of these is Little Yellow, Pyrisitia lisa Boisduval & Le Conte (Pieridae), a widespread species occurring in North America in Florida and the Gulf states, and throughout Central America south to Panama, the Caribbean Islands, and Bermuda. I examined the guild of meadow butterflies in a dairy pasture system in the Dominican Republic over a six-month period, surveyed possible nectar sources, and investigated the behavior of Little Yellow within this guild. Twenty-three species of insect-pollinated forbs were recorded. Thirty-three species of meadow butterflies were found in this habitat, and seven species of woodland edge butterflies transited the meadows in crossing between woodland patches. Little Yellow nectared mostly on Sphagneticola trilobata, and divided its time nearly equally between nectar foraging flights and active, nonstop flight. It engaged in ascending flights with conspecifics and related species.