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Migrants, Strays, Recent Colonizations, And Newly Recorded

Lepidoptera Species From Outagamie County, Wisconsin, And

Adjacent Areas.

Kons, Hugo L. Jr. 2024. Migrants, Strays, Recent Colonizations, And

Newly Recorded Lepidoptera Species From Outagamie County, Wisconsin,

And Adjacent Areas. Southern Lepidopterists' News. Vol. 46

Supplemental Issue.

Entire Manuscript As Published In Print

Entire Manuscript Optimized For Screen Viewing

(Pages with long tables are rotated 90 degrees)

Components

Text

Tables

Table 1: Summarization of Phenological Data For Lepidoptera Strays And Migrants

Recorded From Outagamie County And Adjacent Areas.

Table 2: Summarization of Distributional Data For Lepidoptera Strays And Migrants

Recorded From Outagamie County And Adjacent Areas.

Table 3: Lepidoptera Strays And Ephemeral Migrants Recorded From Outagamie

County And Adjacent Areas in 2022.

Table 4: Macrolepidoptera Species Of Strays And Ephemeral Migrants Recorded

From Different Survey Methods In Suburban Appleton.

Table 5: Macrolepidoptera Species Of Annual Migrants Recorded From Different

Survey Methods In Suburban Appleton From 2016-2020.

Table 6: Macrolepidoptera And Rhopalocera Species Newly Recorded From

Outagamie County.

Table 7: Eastern Wisconsin Lepidoptera Species Resident In One Or Two Of The

Life Zones.

Figures

Figures 1-65 Charts Relating To Lepidoptera Strays And Migrants.

Figure 66: Wisconsin Maps With Survey Localities, Life Zones, And Biogeographic

Areas.

Color Plates

All Color Plates (69 plates and cover photo, illustrating 457 WI Lepidoptera Species)

Strays and Migrants

Palearctic Colonizations

Newly Recorded Species And/Or Recent Colonizations

Species Complexes In Eastern Wisconsin

Addendum (November 2023)

Taxon Index

Abstract

I have conducted extensive Lepidoptera surveys in Outagamie County, Wisconsin, and adjacent areas,

especially from 1989-1996 and 2016-2022. As of April 2023, I have computerized over 110,000 unique records

for over 560,000 individuals representing over 2,111 species, including 1061 Macrolepidoptera and 96

Rhopalocera species.

I hypothesize that at least 222 of these species occur as strays or ephemeral migrants outside of their

permanent ranges, and that 90.5% are of southern origin, 3.2% of western origin, and 6.3% of northern origin. I

further hypothesize that an additional 39 species are southern migrants than do not overwinter in the area, but

occur annually as seasonal residents. I present cumulative phenology and distributional data for strays and

migrants. Highest species totals for southern strays and ephemeral migrants have been recorded between late

August and mid October, with a peak in early September. Seasonal abundance patterns are provided for migrants

recorded from suburban Appleton from 2016-2020. Most species of strays and migrants are multivoltine,

widespread habitat generalists in their permanent and temporary ranges. Length of species lists of strays and

migrants collected at individual localities corresponds with survey intensity rather than habitat quality or

diversity. The longest species list of strays and migrants is for suburban Appleton, the most intensively collected

locality but with the least natural habitat among study sites in the area. Field observations suggest that southern

migrants often appear on nights with a strong south wind, and leave the area on nights with a north wind

preceding a cold front and freezing temperatures. The survey period from 2016-2022 has produced higher species

diversity and abundance of southern strays and ephemeral migrants than surveys from 1989-1995 (175 versus 60

species). Species accounts are provided for strays and ephemeral migrants recorded from the Outagamie County

area and elsewhere in Wisconsin during the study interval.

Subsequent to the 1989-1996 study interval, 183 Macrolepidoptera and Rhopalocera species have been

newly recorded from Outagamie County, including 173 species added from 2015-2022. I hypothesize that 96 of

these new records are strays or ephemeral migrants outside of their permanent ranges, 85 of which are of southern

origin. Forty additional species are thus far recorded from few specimens, and their status is unknown. Thirtytwo

of the newly recorded species appear to be new colonizations, as is also the case for four species historically

recorded from single specimens. These species are now found consistently at one or more localities. The new

colonizations are primarily southern species moving their ranges north (22 species) and Palearctic species

expanding their ranges in the Nearctic (8 species, plus 11 microlepidoptera species). I hypothesize the remaining

fifteen newly recorded species are residents which were likely missed by historical surveys. Species accounts are

provided for all newly recorded species and new colonizations.

A steep Lepidoptera faunal change gradient is indicated between the Navarino Wildlife Area in southern

Shawano County and the northernmost Outagamie County study sites 12-19 miles away. The Navarino Wildlife

Area has a Lepidoptera fauna characteristic of the Northern Transition Zone/Central Sands biogeographic area of

central Wisconsin, whereas Outagamie County study sites have Lepidoptera faunas characteristic of the Southern

Transition Zone/Southeastern Ridges and Lowlands biogeographic area of southeastern Wisconsin. Recent

surveys at the Navarino Wildlife Area found 56 species of Macrolepidoptera, four Rhopalocera, and at least 52

microlepidoptera which have not been recorded from Outagamie County or adjacent parts of Winnebago,

Calumet, or Waupaca Counties. In addition, numerous species which are uncommon to rare in Outagamie County

are more common at both the Navarino Wildlife Area and in the Central Sands biogeographic area. A second

steep faunal change gradient in eastern Wisconsin is indicated between the Northern Transition Zone and the

Canadian Zone.

A series of 69 color plates illustrate 457 Lepidoptera species, mostly comprised of specimens from the

Outagamie County area. Species complexes are illustrated and discussed for the genera Prochoerodes

(Geometridae), Clostera (Notodontidae) Idia, Zanclognatha, Chytolita, Hypenodes, Zale, Catocala, Acronicta,

Bellura, Papaipema, Enargia, Chytonix, Lithophane, and Xestia ( Noctuidae).