Abstract
Late instar nymphs and adults of a Colorado Hudsonian zone population of Isoperla petersoni Needham and Christenson were studied during the summer and early fall months of 1998, when stream temperature ranged from 3.3 °C to 8.9 °C. Early and middle instar nymphs were absent from July to October, and nymphs attained maximum size in mid-August during the 2nd week of adult field presence, suggesting a univoltine-slow life cycle. Nymphs were carnivorous and fed primarily on chironomid larvae. Adults were present from August to mid-October, with peak numbers of adult males and females occurring in mid-September and late September, respectively. Fecundity of field-collected females averaged 94.1 ± 45.15 eggs per female in September (N = 81) and decreased to 85.2 ± 57.6 in October (N = 12). Drumming duets were 2-way (male-female), and female answers followed male calls (nonoverlapped) or began before completion of the male call (overlapped). Male calls averaged 11.1 ± 2.09 beats and female answers averaged 6.2 ± 2.99, with mean intervals of 118 and 58 ms, respectively. The average number of female answer beats increased from 5.3 ± 2.56 when duets were nonoverlapped, to 6.6 ± 3.08 when overlapped.
Recommended Citation
Sandberg, John B. and Stewart, Kenneth W.
(2001)
"Drumming behavior and life history notes of a high-altitude Colorado population of the stonefly Isoperla petersoni Needham,"
Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 61:
No.
4, Article 8.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol61/iss4/8