The Aeolian Ecology of White Mountain Peak, California: Windblown Insect Fauna

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Abstract
The composition of the windlbown insect fauna at the summit of White Mountain Peak (4342 m), California [USA], was investigated for 44 days in July/Aug. 1974 and Aug. 1975. Thermal convection currents and westerly winds transport large numbers of insects and deposit them on the east (leeward) slope of the summit. Insects in accumulated deposits of windblown debris are predominantly Hemiptera, Homoptera and Coleoptera. The most common species are Nysius raphanus (Lygaeidae), Rhytidolomia spp. (Pentatomidae), Hippodamia convergens (Coccinellidae) and Psylla magna and P. omani (Psyllidae). The density of arthropod fallout on a snowfield near the summit was 1380/m2 in July and 560/m2 in Aug. 1974. The relative proportions of small (< 5 mm) arthropods on the snow revealed several groups not easily identified in the fell field debris: Araneida (2%), Aphididae (27%), Diptera (13%) and Hymenoptera (19%). Some of the most common windblown insects probably originate in alfalfa fields 3000 m below the summit. Eleven species [Villa (Villa) agrippina, V. (V.) pretiosa, Peleteria (Panzeriopsis) alberta, Arctophila flagrans, Eristalis tenax, Metasyrphus gentneri, M. talus, Pieris protodice occidentalis, Nymphalis milberti, Cynthia annabella and Hesperia uncas macswaini] of Diptera and Lepidoptera appear to be hilltopping. The summit is an extremely cold, arid and sparsely vegetated (cover 0.3%) environment, where the major source of nutrients for the resident biota is windblown insects.

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