DOI: 10.5061/dryad.2z34tmpz4
title: Flower abundance and army cutworm moth lipid contents

description: Our objective was to evaluate how nectar resources and lipid accumulation
 in army cutworm moths (Euxoa auxiliaris) have changed since originally
 evaluated in 1978-1980. We compared flower and moth data collected in the
 alpine zone at Pennsylvania Mountain, Park County, Colorado, USA between
 historic (1977-1980) and contemporary (2021-2023) study periods. We
 relocated vegetation plots and moth trapping sites used in the original
 sampling scheme. The flower data come from repeated censuses of five
 vegetation plots. Observers visited five plots each week in June-July to
 count the number of flowers of each of three species: alpine pennycress
 (Noccaea fendleri), dwarf phlox (Phlox condensata), and false candytuft
 (Smelowskia calycina). The moth data come from repeated blacklight
 trapping in June and July at four sites. The presented data include
 abundances and sex (M/F) of army cutworm moths as well as the lipids
 contents (% dry weight) of a randomly selected subsample. To match the
 dimensions of the original available data, the mean lipid contents of male
 and female army cutworm moths are presented. Our finding show changes in
 flower abundance associated with changing patterns of lipid accumulation
 by army cutworm moths during foraging in June and July in the alpine
 tundra. 
description: # Flower abundance and army cutworm moth lipid contents Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.2z34tmpz4](10.5061/dryad.2z34tmpz4) ## Description of the
 data and file structure * Flower Abundance and Phenology. We resurveyed
 five plots in the alpine zone using weekly flower counts of each of three
 species alpine pennycress (*Noccaea fendleri*), dwarf phlox (*Phlox
 condensata*), and false candytuft (*Smelowskia calycina*). * Moth
 Abundance and Phenology. We placed four black light traps in different
 locations in the alpine tundra in June and July. On some dates in the
 historical data, only one trapping location was used. * Moth Lipid
 Contents. We extracted moth abdomens in chloroform. The data shows the
 mean lipids contents of male and female army cutworm moths as a percentage
 of their dry weights. ### Files and variables #### File:
 flower\_phenology\_summary.xlsx **Description:** This file contains the
 phenological and abundance results from censuses of five vegetation plots.
 Missing data shown as NA. ##### Variables * period: study period as either
 historical (1977-1980) or contemporary (2022-2023) * year: study year as
 four digit numeric year * plot: numerical plot identification number *
 genus: Generic name for each study species as Noccaea, Phlox, or
 Smelowskia * doy.zero: the ordinal day of year when zero flowers were
 first observed * doy.final: the final census that a non-zero flower count
 was observed * elevation: meters above sea level for each plot * area:
 area of the plot censused * max.count: the maximum number of flowers
 observed in plot for a given genus #### File: lipids\_1978\_2023.xlsx
 **Description:** This file contains the mean lipid contents of army
 cutworm moths from the historical and contemporary sampling. Missing data
 shown as NA. ##### Variables * year: study year as four digit numeric year
 * date: text description of month and data * doy: ordinal day of year as
 Julian date * sex: male or female moth * lipids: lipid content as a
 percent of dry weight * period: study period as either past (1977-1980) or
 present (2022-2023) #### File: moth\_phenology.xlsx **Description:** This
 file contains the phenological and abundance data for army cutworm moths
 trapped in the historical and contemporary studies. ##### Variables *
 period: study period as either past (1977-1980) or present (2022-2023) *
 year: study year as four digit numeric year * site: alphabetical site
 descriptor * date: trapping date in month/day/year format * doy: ordinal
 day of year as Julian date * n: number of army cutworm moths * traps:
 number of traps for n * traps.total: total number of traps placed on a
 given sampling date ## Access information Data was derived from the
 following sources: * Kevan, P. G., & Kendall, D. M. (1997). Liquid
 assets for fat bankers: summer nectarivory by migratory moths in the Rocky
 Mountains, Colorado, USA. *Arctic and Alpine Research*, *29*(4), 478-482.
 * Kendall, D. M., Kevan, P. G., & LaFontaine, J. D. (1981). Nocturnal
 flight activity of moths (Lepidoptera) in alpine tundra. *The Canadian
 Entomologist*, *113*(7), 607-614.