Behavior of male desert hackberry butterflies, Asterocampa leilia (Nymphalidae) at perching sites used in mate location

Abstract

Males of the desert hackberry butterfly (. Asterocampa leilia) occupy and defend perches at mate encounter sites adjacent to the larval foodplant. When returning from an interaction with a conspecific, a male selects a perch within about 2 m 2 , surrounding his original perch. These perching sites are surrounded by areas of significantly lower vegetation than other areas around the larval foodplant.