Grizzly bear use of army cutworm moths in the Yellowstone Ecosystem
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Abstract
The ecology of alpine aggregations of army cutworm moths (Euxoa auxiliaris) and the feeding behavior of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) at these areas were studied in the Yellowstone ecosystem from 1988 to 1991. Army cutworm moths migrate to mountain regions each summer to feed at night on the nectar of alpine and subalpine flowers, and during the day they seek shelter under various rock formations. Grizzly bears were observed feeding almost exclusively on moths up to 3 months each summer at the 10 moth-aggregation areas we identified. Fifty-one different grizzly bears were observed feeding at 4 of these areas during a single day in August 1991. Army cutworm moths are a preferred source of nutrition for many grizzly bears in the Yellowstone ecosystem and represent a high quality food that is available during hyperphagia.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Grizzly bear use of army cutworm moths in the Yellowstone Ecosystem |
| Series title | Bears: Their Biology and Management |
| DOI | 10.2307/3872725 |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Year Published | 1994 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
| Publisher location | Morges, Switzerland |
| Contributing office(s) | Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center |
| Description | 11 p. |
| First page | 389 |
| Last page | 399 |
| Conference Title | Ninth International Conference on Bear Research and Management |
| Conference Location | Grenoble, France |
| Conference Date | October 1992 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Idaho, Montana, Wyoming |
| Other Geospatial | Yellowstone National Park |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |