Abbreviations
of Scientific
Observers
Below are the abbreviations of the scientific observers in the Flower-Visiting Insect Database. These abbreviations are enclosed in parentheses and immediately follow the scientific name of the insect. They should not be confused with the authority who first assigned the scientific name to the insect. While these observations did not necessarily occur in Illinois in all cases, I have restricted the database to wildflowers and insect species that occur within or near the state (sometimes on an adventive basis). The large bulk of the observations in the database are from Charles Robertson's Flowers and Insects (1929). If there is no abbreviation in parentheses following an insect's scientific name, then the observer is Charles Robertson by default. Sometimes, more than one observer will independently report a flower-visiting insect for a plant species, in which case the abbreviations of such observers will be enclosed within parentheses. However, some information from Moure & Hurd, LaBerge, and Mitchell has been excluded because it is derived from Robertson's earlier observations; this is also true of some observations in Krombein et al. (1979). The publications of these observers are referred to in the Reference section.
(Arn) = Robert Arnold
Flower visitors of Linaria vulgaris (Butter-and-Eggs) are described. This study was conducted in upstate New York during the 1970s or early 1980s.
(BP) = Jane Bock & Steven Peterson
Flower visitors of Pulsatilla patens (Pasqueflower) are described. Their observations occurred in Colorado.
(Btz) = Robert Betz et al.
Betz and his associates restrict their observations to milkweeds in NE Illinois. Primarily bees, butterflies, and wasps are reported. Observations were recorded during the 1990s.
(Ev) = Francis C. Evans
Evan's observations occurred in an "old field" in southeastern Michigan, and are restricted to a few species of bees. These observations occurred during the 1980s.
(Flm) = R.C. Fleming
The nectar sources of adult sphinx moths are described; observations occurred prior to 1970.
(GP) = Ralph Grundel & Noel Pavlovic
Their observations include the flowers visited by the Karner Blue butterfly, Lycaeides melissa samuelis, in NW Indiana near Lake Michigan. This occurred during the 1990s.
(Gr) = S. Graenicher
Graenicher's observations include a wide range of flower-visiting insects near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His observations occurred during 1900-1908 in various habitats.
(H) = John Hilty
I include a few of my own observations in Urbana, Illinois. These observations are restricted primarily to butterflies, and a few species of skippers, day-flying moths, and beetles. Their time period is from 2001 to the present.
(HC) = Randall Haddock & Stephen Chaplin
Observations of insects that use Baptisia leucantha (White Wild Indigo) and Baptisia leucophaea (Cream Wild Indigo) as food plants, including flower visitors. This study was conducted in Missouri.
(Hm) = C.P. Herms
Observations of the flowers visited by the Karner Blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) in Michigan during the 1990s.
(HMF) = Joyce Hoffman & Brenda Molano-Flores
Two oligolectic bees of Pontederia cordata (Pickerelweed) were recently observed at a wet sand prairie in Illinois.
(HP) = Gary Hannan & Hewlett Prucher
Insects visiting the flowers of Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) were observed in SE Michigan during the 1990s.
(Kr) = Karl Krombein, Paul Hurd, David Smith, & B.D. Burks
For some bee species, these researchers describe the flowering plants that they visit in Vol.2 of Catalog of Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico (1979). Some of these observations are from Robertson. Bees and plants that are not found in Illinois or other Eastern states in the area have been excluded from the database.
(LB) = Walter LaBerge
LaBerge's observations are confined to certain groups of bees; he also reports information from Robertson in his articles. The time period dates back to the 1950s.
(Mch) = Theodore B. Mitchell
Mitchell's observations occurred primarily in North Carolina. He also reports the observations of Charles Robertson and Walter LaBerge. These observations were published in Bees of the Eastern United States, Vol. I-II, in 1960 and 1962. Mitchell restricts his observations to bees only.
(McL) = D. Kelly McLain
Identified species of ants visiting the extrafloral nectaries of Passiflora incarnata (Purple Passionflower). These observations occurred in Georgia.
(MH) = Jesus Moure & Paul Hurd, Jr.
Their observations are restricted to Halictid bees, and contains information from other observers (e.g., Robertson & Mitchell), in which case only the original observer is referred to. Only species of plants and bees that occur in Illinois are included in the database. Information is dated from about 1950-1980s (earlier, in the case of other observers).
(MKHB) = R.J. Mitchell, J.D. Karron, K.G. Holmquist, & J.M. Bell
In a recent paper, these researchers describe the bumblebee species visiting Mimulus ringens (Monkey Flower). Their observations occurred at Saukville, Wisconsin.
(MR) = Charles Michener & Carl Rettenmeyer.
Their observations are restricted to the bee visitors of Erythronium mesochoreum (Prairie Trout Lily). This occurred during the 1950s.
(**, MS) = Unpublished Manuscript.
This refers to an unpublished manuscript that describes a new insect species. The asterisks refer to the last name or abbeviated last name of the author. For example, (Rb, MS) refers to an unpublished manuscript of Charles Robertson, while (Coquillett, MS) refers to an unpublished manuscript of Coquillett. To avoid confusion, I may change this to (**, unpublished) in the future.
(Pt) = Chris E. Petersen
Petersen's observations occurred in restored tallgrass prairies in NE Illinois during the 1990s. His observations are restricted to a few species of bees.
(Rb) = Charles Robertson
All of Robertson's observations occurred within 10 miles of Carlinville, Illinois. These observations occurred between 1880-1920, and were published in Flowers and Insects (1929). To my knowledge, Robertson attempted to identify all insect visitors regardless of their family affiliation.
(Re) = Catherine Reed
Reed's observations occurred at several prairie remnants in SE Minnestoa during the early 1990s. A wide range of insects are listed as flower visitors.
(St) = Andrew G. Stephenson
Observed floral visitors of Catalpa speciosa (Northern Catalpa) in Indiana during the 1970s.
(Tr) = William Trelease
Trelease described a few insects that perforate flowers to steal nectar from various plant species
(WF) = Shelly Wiggam & Carolyn Ferguson
Insect visitors of Phlox divaricata were recently recorded in Wisconsin; see Reference Section for citation of article by Wiggam & Ferguson (2005).
(Wm) = Andrew H. Williams
William's observations occurred near Madison, Wisconsin, and are restricted to Onosmodium molle (Marbleseed). This occurred during the 1980s.