Notes on using the Lepidoptera host list:

This list tends be more inclusive than exclusive.  If a reference was found that placed a species in the area of interest (the mid-Atlantic states), the species is included.  Some species were deleted from the list when it became apparent that a source was erroneous.   Citations confirming species range are included, but are not exhaustive. The lack of a specific citation does not mean that particular species was not confirmed by that source; redundant information was not cited.

Searching for a specific species:

• One option is to simply scroll down the list to the genus of interest.

• You can also search the entire list or use the downward arrow in the family column to filter in a specific family.

• If there is no downward arrow, highlight the entire row 1.  Go to the tool bar, click on “Data”, click “Filter” then click “AutoFilter”.

• Another way is to highlight the Lepidoptera species column and use the “Find” function under “Edit” on your toolbar.  Type in the first letters of the species.  It works best if you do not type in the entire name, especially when endings fluctuate (-us –a).  You may need to “Find Next” a few times. If you get no results try searching in the “Other Names” column to check under homonyms, synonyms and referrals.

Searching for Lepidoptera species that use specific plant genera or families:

1. Go to the upper row of the Excel sheet.  Scroll over to “Families” (Yellow) or “Genus” (Pink).   Click on the downward arrow.

• If there is no downward arrow, highlight the entire row 1.  Go to the tool bar, click on “Data”, click “Filter” then click “AutoFilter”.

Click on  “(Custom…)”.  A new box will open.  Just to right of where it reads “Equals,” click on the downward arrow and scroll down to click on “Contains”. In the next box to the right, type in the genus or family you are seeking and click on “okay”.

• A problem with this is if you are filtering for “Tsuga”, your resulting list will contain “Pseudotsuga”; if you filter for “Pinus”, your list will contain “Carpinus” and “Lupinus”;   if you filter for “Cissus” your list will contain “Parthenocissus”, etc. .  The best way I have found to filter these out is to list the longer genera first, and highlight the ones that don’t include the shorter name as well.  Then when you list the shorter names, you will skip over highlighted species.

• Lepidoptera subspecies will be on your list.  They are highlighted in green and written in maroon. Because most but not all host plants recorded for  a subspecies are listed within the species, you need to determine whether to consider these or not.

Color codes

Black lettering: names determined to be valid, or at least not duplicated on our list.
Maroon lettering: subspecies.
Blue lettering: duplicate names or synonyms.  Check the “other names” column to be referred to the current usage.
Pink highlight in “Other Names” column indicates disagreement of status.
Beige highlight indicates a species not confirmed in the mid-Atlantic states, but in adjacent states or sometime “rare” in the mid-Atlantic states.
Blue highlight indicates that although we have a citation that puts that particular species in our area, further research and/or lack of corroborating data has led us to question its inclusion on the main list.
Dark green highlight indicates citations, mostly from Canadian references, which seem to indicate that the species maybe in New York, but are not specific enough to be included on the main list.
Dark orange highlight indicates duplicate entries used to alleviate Excel’s sorting shortfalls.

Lepidoptera Range Notes

Our Lepidoptera list contains both individual states and a descriptive range for many species.  The descriptive range paraphrases one or more of the cited sources.  Individual states are either confirmed range or assumed range based on written ranges.  Holotype and syntype locations are highlighted in pink.  West Virginia, Ohio, Massachusetts and North Carolina are included (but not sought out) as helpful references to establish a species range.  However, if a species could not be confirmed in the mid-Atlantic states, it is listed at the bottom of the list highlighted in beige.  Species in doubt are also listed at the bottom.  They are highlighted in blue and contain “??” in the primary reference box.  While some of these maybe be valid members of the mid-Atlantic Lepidoptera fauna, no reference has been found to confirm it.  All established New York species are listed; however, some may only be found in upstate New York.

Host Plant Data

Robinson et al. 2002 list plant families differently from the USDA PLANT website (http://plants.usda.gov/index.html).  At this point, our Lepidoptera host database contains Robinson et al.’s plant family designations (and in some cases, those of the USDA’s as well – but these are in blue and are not counted separately in the total family count).  On the plant list I have included another column for the UDSA’s alternative family name.  Most plant information and statistics (with the exception of some common names, hardiness zones for some cultivated aliens, and occasionally personal experience) are directly from the USDA PLANT website. For the purpose of this list, alien plants are defined as species that evolved outside of the mid-Atlantic states.

The USDA website does not divide plants into “Herbaceous” and “Woody” categories.  Here, we have designated trees, scrubs and vines as “Woody” and forbs/herbs and grasses as “Herbaceous”.

When an author states that plants have been listed as host plants erroneously for certain Lepidoptera or doubts the authenticity of an attribution, these are noted in a column on the Lepidoptera list labeled “disputed or negated host plants”.   Plants labeled as “NOT” have been negated by a cited author without question.  Those plants labeled “?” are doubted but not confirmed to be incorrect host plants. Plants in question are not listed on the main list.

Lepidoptera Nomenclature

Every attempt was made to use the most current nomenclature, noting disagreement among authors in the “other names” column.

We consulted Nomina Insecta Neararctica :Lepidoptera (Poole 1996) for original genus names and to eliminate duplicates from our list.  Karsholt, O. and E.J. van Nieukerken (Fauna Europaea Web) was searched for information not found in Poole (1996).

Exotic Status

Unfortunately, we did not include these data consistently.  Many citations are from the original source; however, others we later determined by consulting Furniss & Carolin 1977, Alford 1995, Carter 1984 and OTA 1993.  All “<EXOTIC>” designations are either confirmed or come from an original report.

References

The first column of citations usually contains a confirming citation for the mid-Atlantic states.  Any reference with a question mark before it designates an unspecified area description with the strong possibility in the species in question occurs in the mid-Atlantic states.   Some authors dispute each other and are duly noted.  Redundant citations are not always recorded.  The next column contains citations with location and/or host plant references.

Any question call Kimberley at 302-831-8835 or email kjs@udel.edu