Estacion Biologica La Selva, Heredia Prov., Costa Rica, and Big Creek Reserve, Monterey Co., CA, are each ca. 16km2 but differ markedly in topography, climate, seasonality, and vegetation. We used team, multi-year efforts to inventory Lepidoptera: 1980-2002 at Big Creek (215 sampling dates, 338 Black Light (BL) samples, frequent diurnal sampling, 1400+ larval collections); 1993-1999 at La Selva (280 dates, 665 BL samples, infrequent diurnal sampling, about 50 larval collections).

We obtained 82 species of Tortricidae at Big Creek and a decided asymptote in species accumulation; 12% were uniques (known from one sample); 18% were day fliers; 33% were first collected diurnally; 43% were reared from larvae; 24% were first detected by larval collection. At La Selva we recorded ca. 195 species, and species accumulation slowed but did not reach a clear asymptote; about 34% of species were uniques; 1% were diurnal, although several of our uniques may represent incidental collections of day fliers attracted to BL; 7% were reared from larvae, primarily general feeders, only one was a species not taken at BL. Olethreutinae dominated at both sites, 70% of the species at Big Creek and 55% at La Selva, while Tortricinae comprised 30% and 33% respectively. 12% of the species at La Selva are Chlidanotinae, none at Big Creek; Eucosmini was the best represented tribe at Big Creek, with 50% of all species, whereas Grapholitini dominated at La Selva with 33%. No single species occurred at both places but 10 genera were shared.