02473nas a2200145 4500008004100000245011800041210006900159300001200228490000800240520182700248100001902075700001702094700001702111856019902128 2021 eng d00aRegal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) sex ratio in tallgrass prairie: Effects of survey timing and management regime0 aRegal fritillary Speyeria idalia sex ratio in tallgrass prairie  a57 - 760 v1853 a

The regal fritillary, Speyeria idalia (Drury), was once a common inhabitant of North American grassland communities. Regal fritillary populations are commonly reported to have a male biased adult sex ratio (ASR) throughout their range. We assessed the observed ASR of regal fritillary throughout an annual flight period, investigated how the overall density of both sexes changed, and tested effects of prescribed fire, grazing and haying management treatments on male and female density. We found that regal fritillary exhibited an observed 2:1 male biased ASR across the entire emergence period. Our analysis also revealed that male density peaked earlier than female density in the flight period. Point estimates of density indicated sites that received prescribed burning at the moderate fire-return interval supported ≥1.3 times greater density of males and ≥5.6 times greater density of females versus sites burned with short and long fire-return intervals. Additionally, this effect was enhanced when combined with grazing which showed males were ≥1.9 times and females had ≥1.2 times greater point estimates of density in sites that were grazed and burned at a moderate fire-return interval versus other sites. The relatively stable status of regal fritillary within our study region suggests that a 2:1 male to female ASR may be considered the model composition of populations throughout their range. Likewise, the dynamic nature of the ASR throughout the flight period highlights the importance of conducting surveys across the flight period. Finally, these results corroborate an increasing number of research results that reveal common prairie management practices, such as prescribed fire can be applied within sites that contain regal fritillary and continue to support stable populations.

1 aMcCullough, K.1 aHaukos, D.A.1 aAlbanese, G. uhttps://bioone.org/journals/the-american-midland-naturalist/volume-185/issue-1/0003-0031-185.1.57/Regal-Fritillary-Speyeria-idalia-Sex-Ratio-in-Tallgrass-Prairie/10.1637/0003-0031-185.1.57.short02824nas a2200169 4500008004100000245012200041210006900163300001100232490000700243520225200250100001902502700001902521700002202540700002102562700001702583856005402600 2019 eng d00aManagement regime and habitat response influence abundance of regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) in tallgrass prairie0 aManagement regime and habitat response influence abundance of re ae028450 v103 a

The >2,570,000‐ha Flint Hills ecoregion of Kansas, USA, harbors the largest remaining contiguous tract of tallgrass prairie in North America, a unique system, as the remainder of North America's tallgrass prairie has succumbed to development and conversion. Consequently, the loss and degradation of tallgrass prairie has reduced populations of many North American prairie‐obligate species including the regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) butterfly. Population abundance and occupied range of regal fritillary have declined >99%, restricting many populations to isolated, remnant patches of tallgrass prairie. Such extensive decline has resulted in consideration of the regal fritillary for protection under the Endangered Species Act. Although it is widely accepted that management practices such as fire, grazing, and haying are necessary to maintain prairie ecosystems, reported responses by regal fritillary to these management regimes have been ambiguous. We tested effects of prescribed fire across short, moderate, and long fire‐return intervals as well as grazing and haying management treatments on regal fritillary density. We also tested the relative influence of habitat characteristics created by these management regimes by measuring density of an obligate host plant (Viola spp.) and canopy cover of woody vegetation, grasses, forbs/ferns, bare ground, and litter. We found density was at least 1.6 times greater in sites burned with a moderate fire‐return interval vs. sites burned with short and long fire‐return intervals. Overall management regardless of fire‐return interval did not have an effect on density. Percent cover of grass had the strongest positive association, while percent cover of woody vegetation had the greatest negative effect on density. Our results indicate that patch‐burning is a viable and perhaps even ideal management strategy for regal fritillary in tallgrass prairie landscapes. Additionally, these results elucidate the importance of fire, particularly when applied at moderate‐return intervals to regal fritillary, and corroborate a growing suite of studies that suggest fire is perhaps not as detrimental to populations of regal fritillary as previously believed.

1 aMcCullough, K.1 aAlbanese, Gene1 aHaukos, David, A.1 aRicketts, A., M.1 aStratton, S. uhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/21508925/10/802169nas a2200205 4500008004100000245014800041210006900189300001400258490000700272520150100279653001701780653001701797653001501814653001701829653001101846100002301857700001901880700002201899856004201921 2017 eng d00aNovel observations of larval fire survival, feeding behavior, and host plant use in the regal fritillary, speyeria idalia (Drury) (Nymphalidae)0 aNovel observations of larval fire survival feeding behavior and  a146 - 1520 v713 a

Speyeria idalia is a prairie specialist that has experienced dramatic population declines throughout its range. Speyeria idalia is nearly extirpated from the eastern portion of its former range; however, populations within Kansas are relatively stable. We made several previously undescribed field observations of late-instar larvae and post-diapause female S. idalia in northeastern Kansas during 2014–2016. We report finding late-instar larvae at locations that were burned within weeks of detection. The observations of larvae shortly following a burn suggests that S. idalia larvae are capable of surviving fire and contradicts our current knowledge of this species. Additionally, we describe a feeding behavior characteristic of late-instar larvae. Larvae observed in the field and lab stripped leaves of host plants leaving only stems. This strip-style feeding behavior provided unique feeding evidence that was valuable to detecting the presence of larvae in the field. Finally, we documented larvae and post-diapause, egg depositing females using Viola sororia. The use of this relatively widespread and common plant by S. idalia populations in the Central Great Plains has only been implicitly documented but may have important conservation implications. These novel observations further our knowledge of the ecology of this imperiled species and provide timely information that may improve research and conservation management efforts directed toward S. idalia populations.

10aconservation10afeeding sign10aGrasslands10aGreat Plains10aviolet1 aMcCullough, Kelsey1 aAlbanese, Gene1 aHaukos, David, A. uhttps://doi.org/10.18473/lepi.71i3.a4