April, 2002
"Mothly Newsletter"

Hi All,

Membership access is at
http://www.insectcompany.com/silkmoth/kurthi.htm
Click on reload or restore if it doesn't load up first time.

I will begin taking breeding stock out of cold storage in early May. Saturniidae begin flying here last week in May.

Congratulations to Mario Ioppolo who won the first anniversity identification contest.

**********COLLECTOR'S CORNER:*********

Many thanks to Clive Pratt of the Insect Company which hosts our site. The Insect Company is a supplier of fine quality specimens to collectors, etc.

Clive is currently based in England and will probably begin offering livestock in the near future. Yeah!

Visit Clive's Site, The Insect Company, at
http://www.insectcompany.com/insectcompany.htm
for an extensive selection of dried specimens.

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I have also been in contact with Jean Louis Giuglaris in French Guiana.
He offers many dried specimens of species from French Guiana and may also be able to offer eggs.
I have recently posted many of his images of posed dead moths throughout the site. See his ad in the Dried Specimens section.

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Eric van Schayack has also provided me with some images not previously displayed on the site. He also offers dried specimens. Check out his listing (work in progress) in the dried specimens section.

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I have written to several members who maintain some of the finest Saturniidae collections in the world and have invited them to submit articles on maintaining collections. There should be some useful tips for anyone who wishes to maintain, add to, or start a collection.

********SPHINGIDAE:***********

The first anniversary (April 1) of the opening of the WORLD's LARGEST SATURNIIDAE SITE has been commemorated with the official opening of SPHINGIDAE OF THE AMERICAS. Thanks to all those who have registered. Sample files at
http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/samplessphinx.htm
This new site will also be a membership site. The one-time-life-time registration fee of $25.00 U.S. will go into effect after April 30, 2002. The special rate of $15.00 will be in effect from now until then. If you are interested, send payment of $15.00 U.S. or Canadian equivalent to Bill Oehlke, Box 476, Montague, Prince Edward Island, Canada C0A 1R0. Free membership to those who have provided images.

Vernon A. Brou has critiqued many of the files on the new Sphingidae site and has sent me some fine images and information. The site combines best info and images available on the web as well as some exceptional shots by Paolo Mazzei, Vernon Brou, and others. Images from Dan Janzen's Costa Rica site have been edited for size, and the information he offers (flight times, food plants, parasites) has been condensed.

All Canadian and U. S. species (except Sphinx geminus) are depicted. USGS site has been updated for states of Alaska, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Wisconsin.

REAR SOME SPHINGIDAE THIS SUMMER!

********LIVESTOCK AND SUPPLIES:******

I am currently sewing up remay sleeves and now is time to order sleeves and eggs. Prices are on the membership site.
http://www.insectcompany.com/silkmoth/kurthi.htm

My father, Don Oehlke, in New Jersey still has fine Actias luna and Samia cynthia advena cocoons and probably some promethea and cecropia , too. Orders should be placed through me. Note the photography contest for Actias luna and new contests for 2002 in the CONTESTS SECTION.

The Mothly Newsletter (not a typo) will be sent out monthly via email. If you do not wish to receive newsletter, let me know and I will remove your name from the newsletter mailing list.

*********SPECIAL REQUEST*********

Save your empty cocoons for Carol Neeves. She works with the silk and would like all the empties you can send her. Neeves, Carol, 1609 Ponderosa Drive, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57103 CANeeves@aol.com

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I have recently added images of over one hundred species not previously depicted on the site thanks to the photographic efforts of Kirby Wolfe, Thibaud Decaens, Jean Louis Giuglaris and Eric van Schayck.

I'm looking forward to spring!

Happy mothing,

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