Hi All,
I recently received an email from Jim Tuttle, indicating he will be sending me slides to scan of larvae of North American species not depicted on site. Look for new images of Hemileuca tricolor, H. oliviae, H. chinatiensis, H. slosseri, H. griffini, H. grotei diana, Coloradia prchali (Mexico), C. luski, C. doris, C. pandora davisi, Agapema anona platensis, Eupackardia calleta (three forms - SE Arizona, SW Arizona, SE Texas), Hyalophora kasloensis, Sphingicampa/Syssphinx bisecta and S. blanchardi in the coming weeks.
Images have been posted. Many thanks to Jim for sending slides.
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Vernon Brou has recently sent me an image of bright yellow final instar Automeris io larvae. I have only seen them once before, but Vernon indicates they are common in Louisiana. He is also rearing A. louisiana this summer.
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I also hope to soon post the many images Alan Marson has been sending, especially a new one of fifth instar Saturnia walterorum. (now up) I have also posted Alan's images of Ceranchia apollina cocoon, Cricula vietnama cocoon, first instar Citheronia lobesis and all instars and papae of Brahmaea christophi.
Alan has also sent an image of a sixth instar of Coscinocera hercules which has apparently settled for an unusual seventh stage. Most larvae of this species spin before entering a seventh instar. Alan indicates Anthony Darby has also experienced a seventh instar of this species.
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Eurides Furtado has also just sent me very nice image of a Heliconisa pagenstecheri female from his collection.
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I have been sleeving out hundreds of larvae each day and have several hundred to put out tomorrow, July 18.
Week of August 8-12 was very busy with hundreds of larvae being moved every day. I have begun to harvest polyphemus cocoons; first lunas should begin spinning in another week; Smerinthus cerisyi have all pupated; Dryocampa rubicunda and Pachysphinx modesta have been brought inside for pupation.
I will shortly be going to three different rearing sites to check on cecropia, columbia and Eacles imperialis pini larvae.
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Hope to be able to offer pupae of Eacles imperialis pini this fall at $16.00 U.S./pair, but if they are available, they will be in short supply as I wish to save some (larvae [kept separate] from eggs from two different females) for breeding stock.
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Paul Lanza has just sent me a beautiful image (posted to photography section) of Rothschildia lebeau forbesi larva and cocoon.
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David Albaugh sent stunning image of Automeris io male.
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Russell Witkop has been travelling and has sent habitat and first instar images of Hemileuca hualapai and habitat for Syssphinx raspa from Copper Canyon and for Automeris randa, Citheronia splendens and Hyalophora gloveri from Geronimo's Trail in Douglas, Arizona, and for Hemileuca oliviae from Gladstone, New Mexico.
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I was surprised to see a recent image of Antheraea pernyi, Menorca (Spain - Balearic Islands), early August, 2005, sent to me by non-member Peter Ramsden.It is posted in the pernyi file.
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I am quite excited about the new foodplant images that will be added to the WLSS, courtesy of John Campbell and others who would like to contribute. I have posted John's Liriodendron tulipifera image in a file linked from the Callosamia angulifera and Callosamia promethea pages. I will also link the images from the butterfly pages in Caterpillars Too!.
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Rainer Plontke, in cooperation with Franz Renner and Bob Vuattoux, has sent me very nice images of hybrid G. isabellae male, x A.luna female larvae and adults. Images in hybrid section.
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Mark Lasko has sent nice images of Argema mittrei. Despite having females and a male out at the same time, he did not get a pairing. Images up in Photography Section.
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Bob Nuelle sent me nice images (posted) of spread specimens of Syssphinx bicolor and Syssphinx bisecta from St. Martins Parish (Louisiana map updated), Louisiana. The males were taken, July 2, 2005.
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Sphingidae Express
Tim Dyson of Peterborough, Ontario, continues to do an outstanding job with images and sighting data.
Please send Sphingidae sighting data from all areas to me. I am creating county by county pictoral checklists.
Catocala season has already started in Ontario and Tim Dyson is also sending some of the nicest images I have ever seen.
Non-member Jonathan Tubbs recently sent me images (posted) of fourth and fifth instars and pupa of Sphinx luscitiosa from northern Michigan (posted). I dedicated the Otsego County page to Jonathan, who also sent me a list of species he has seen in Otsego.
My Smerinthus cerisyi have started to pupate (August 2).
I recently received images of live Xylophanes cyrene and Adhemarius gannascus from Costa Rica.
Also received an image of another Sphecodina abbottii larva from Renfrew, Ontario.
Julie Simpson sent me images of Smerinthus cerisyi from Santa Barbara County, California. Checklist for that county now available on Sphingidae site.
I have created some printable sighting sheets with columns already arranged for dates and species names. If you are interested in keeping and submitting some sighting data for me, please let me know. I can make up the sheets for Saturniidae, Catocala and Sphingidae for your county/state.
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At the request of some members I am posting a "BAD TRADERS" report. It can be accessed from the main page of the WLSS.
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Please check the Members' Wish list periodically and help when you can.
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Catocala Capers
I have begun to receive reports of Catocla sightings and some beautiful images have arrived, especially for Ontario, courtesy of Tim Dyson.
Tim recently sent an especially nice undersides of Catocala ilia.
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Arctiidae Art
I have posted an image of a Platarctia parthenos female (Arctiidae) that I took at lights in Montague. The moth is beautiful and yielded many eggs.
I will be trying to rear a batch and will document my efforts. See file in Photography section if you are interested in Artciidae. Thanks to those who have supplied additional info.
Tim Dyson, Peterborough, Ontario, sent me great images of Arctia caja americana. I have also posted a file accessed in Photography section.
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I'm making steady progress on Caterpillars Too!, a North American butterfly website featuring caterpillars as well as the adult butterflies. I will add as many hostplant images to this site as I can find. Pussytoes for Painted Ladies just uploaded.
This is also a private membership site. The one-time-life-time registration is $20.00 U.S. for the rest of 2005. January 2006 will see a registration fee increase.
Several WLSS/Caterpillars Too! members have purchased gift memberhips for others and that has practice has been well received.
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