Subject: The ecology of lycaena helle

From: Roy Neeve <[email-masked]>
Date: 8 Mar 1995 09:18:14 GMT

A colleague of mine is studying the ecology of lycaena helle, a 
palearctic butterfly with mainly northern distribution with scattered
population centres further south in mountainous areas.
In the scattered southerly populations the caterpillar foodplant is 
always Polygonum bistorta.  The literature gives other caterpillar 
foodplants for northern populations, such as Rumex species and Polygonum
avicularae.  Also from plant atlases it appears that P.bistorta does 
not occur in these northerly areas.
His field work  will be carried in the French Pyrenees where the 
butterfly is found only in boggy areas where the caterpillar foodplant 
grows in abundance.
He would like to make contact with people in other areas where this 
butterfly is found and obtain information about its ecology in these areas.  
The most important questions are:-
What caterpillar foodplants are being used?  (the eggs are easily found 
on the underside of the leaves of the foodplant, they are lain singly and 
are white).
Is the habitat open and treeless, or is the habitat in or near woodland?
Moisture content of the soil, is it boggy (i.e. very wet), damp, or dry?
Is Proclossiana eunomia also present?  (in the Pyrenees the two species 
are usually found together).
If you could help or know anyone that could help please e-mail me as 
below for more detailed information.  All those that assist will be sent 
a copy of the results and conclusions of this research.
Also wanted  are information and reference on the following nearctic 
lycenids: Lycaena helloides, Lycaena dorcas, Lycaena epixanthe and 
Lycaena nivalis.

---

From: [email-masked] (Meindert de Jong)
Date: 10 Mar 1995 09:48:54 GMT

>butterfly is found and obtain information about its ecology in these areas.  

I know research on Lycaena helle and Proclossiana eunomia is being carried
out by:
  Gabriel Neve
  Universite Cath. de Louvain
  Unite d'Ecologie et de Biogeographie
  4-5 Place Croix-du-Sud
  B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
  Belgium
He is working in de Belgian Ardennes.
In the German Eifel you can contact:
  Andreas Weidner
  Moselweg 11
  D-53129 Bonn
  Germany
I don't know their e-mail adress, but I'm sure an old fashioned letter will
also reach them.

I hope you will be successfull

Chris van Swaay
Dutch Butterfly foundation