Automeris punochacona male, Puno, Peru,
courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.
Automeris punochacona, seventh instar, Puno, Peru,
courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.
Hi All,
As of July 20 I have almost all of my larvae sleeved out. A note to myself: Hatchling ios on cut foliage in tubs, often will not leave that foilage when placed in sleeves. Most other species that I have reared have no difficulty moving from the cut foliage to the live foliage in the sleeves. In many cases I have had to re-open sleeves and manually move the ios to the new host.
I still have about 100 Sphinx poecila feeding in tubs (20-44 litre) on the wood stove hearth in the living room. It is impossible to sleeve the low growth wild bleberry foliage that they use as a host.
As of August 11 just about all the rubicunda, virginiensis and Sphingidae: poecila and modesta have pupated in plastic tubs with nothing in tubs except a paper towel. On August 12 I harvested about twenty early cecropia cocoons, and on August 13 I harvested first polyphemus and luna cocoons.
I suspect the columbia have begun spinning and will check their sleeves tomorrow, August 15. I should be ready to ship cocoons to Canadian destinations in about two more weeks from today's date, August 14, to Canadian destinations, as I expect the harvest to be over by August 28.
I may also have some ios and promethea for Canadian distribution if all goes well. I am interested in purchasing quality livestock from other Canadian breeders at wholesale prices for redistribution.
Shipping of US cocoons to US destinations will begin in late October while I am visiting my parents and sisters in New Jersey. I will be making purchase from regular US suppliers in early to mid October. If you have quality cocoons available at wholesale prices,please send me an email.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Battus philenor, the Pipevine Swallowtail, pupae (non-diapausing, to emerge within 1-3 weeks) are now available (July 7-August) at $5.50/pupa and $8.00 Priority hipping. With the extreme heat we have been having these should probably only be shipped within eastern United States.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Now is the time to order and pay for eggs of the various species expected to be available this summer.
All of the following are likely from Arizona in late July to early August: Automeris pamina, Automeris iris and maybe Automeris patagoniensis;
Antheraea oculea and Hyalophora gloveri;
Eacles oslari and Citheronia Splendens sinaloensis;
Anisota oslari, Syssphinx hubbardi, and Syssphinx montana (these hatch really fast though);
Maybe Rothschildia cincta and Eupackardia calleta.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Here is 2013 Egg Price List with anticipated species and ordering instructions.
Please always send complete shipping address, preferred payment method, species and quantities desired, and some idea as to when you would like eggs shipped when requesting eggs.
I am now requiring that all orders be paid for in advance. This requirement does not indicate that I do not trust you. It is more a case of I do not trust myself to take the time to go back over records to see who has paid and who has not paid after eggs have already been shipped. I know it is easy to forget, and sometimes very honourable people forget. I do pay my shippers for the eggs I have shipped. That gets recorded when I send out notification to shippers.
I do not cash checks for eggs, until after eggs get shipped. That is a practice that I follow religiously as it makes sure that I have honoured my part of the transaction before I cash the checks.
There is usually a significant time delay, however, between time customers place orders and the date upon which I receive payments by check or international money orders, usually 8-10 days, sometimes longer. This requires extra time on my part with regard to record keeping.
Payment by paypal makes things much simpler for me. Payment by personal checks, sent well in advance of when you want eggs, results in my stapling of checks into my egg binder, recording requests on my spreadsheets, marked "pif" for paid in full, and then dispatching egg shipments at appropriate times when my shippers indicate they have the eggs available.
During extreme summer heat I am asking all my US eggs shippers to use Priority Mail service (extra $5.00 above quoted prices) through US post office to reduce possbile shipping delays. It is not good for eggs to sit in outside mailbox in hot sun for any length of time. They can cook very quickly. If you are going to havethem delivered it is best they go to a post office, to a door slot or to a front porch box out of the sun.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bernhard Wenczel has sent images of live male, female and larvae of Automeris punochacona, along with commentary.
Automeris punochacona male, Puno, Peru,
courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.
Automeris punochacona, seventh instar, Puno, Peru,
courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The following images from the Cornell University collection were identified as Bunaeopsis licharbas thyene. I do not know if that moth has
been synonymized with licharbas, remains a subspecies of licharbas or has been elevated to full species status. The male and female from Zambia seem to lack the
pinkish suffusions in the median area, and the forewing ocelli seem different from the other specimens listed as licharbas on this page.
Bunaeopsis licharbas thyene male, Mazabuka, Zambia,
Cornell University Collection, courtesy of Ryan Saint Laurent,
slight digital repair and tentative id by Bill Oehlke.
Bunaeopsis licharbas thyene female, Mazabuka, Zambia,
Cornell University Collection, courtesy of Ryan Saint Laurent,
digital repair and tentative id by Bill Oehlke.
Pselaphelia laclosi male, Manow, Tanzania,
83mm, Cornell University Collection, courtesy of Ryan Saint Laurent.
Pselaphelia laclosi female, Manow, Tanzania,
73mm, Cornell University Collection, courtesy of Ryan Saint Laurent,
extensive digital repair to left hindwing by Bill Oehlke.
Tim Taylor writes on August 13: "On April 28th 2013 in Campbell River BC my buddy Wyatt collected a fresh female Hyalophora euryalus. Since I was on my way there I got him to put it in a brown paper bag for me. Over the next week she laid about a 100 eggs. On May 9th they started to hatch, and there was still four feet of snow on the ground back in Saskatchewan!
"Since the local trees were no where close to bud, off to the the local garden center I went. When I got there they were in the process of unloading a semi full of trees. The first one I spotted was a Siberian Larch (Larix sibirica) with nice fresh needles, so I bought it. It was still to cold outside so I put it in my dinning room that has lots of natural light.
"The little cats loved it and grew very rapidly. By June 1st 90% had reached the fifth instar, everything was going great and then....... I noticed a black spot developing one the tail segment of one cat, I quickly removed it, but it was too late, it had spread to all but one. Even thought I was only left with one cocoon a defoliated Larix and a vacuum full of frass, it was a lot of fun, I really enjoyed watching them develop."
Hyalophora euryalus fourth-fifth?? instar,
Campbell River, British Columbia, courtesy of Tim Taylor.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jean Yves-Pascal has provided the floowing image with details about the Montreal Insect Show.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For the first time on WLSS a fourth instar Copaxa cydippe larva is depicted courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.
Copaxa cydippe fourth instar, courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.
Copaxa cydippe fifth instar, courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.
David Moskowitz writes, "The Second Annual National Moth Week will be held globally from July 20-28, 2013. It is open to everyone , everywhere regardless of level of expertise. Consider participating and shining a much-needed light on moths. Information, registration and details can be found at nationalmothweek.org"
Kirby Wolfe writes, "Our Giant Silkmoths book is finally being delivered from Amazon.com in the U.S. In Europe it has been selling very well and is being translated into German. It is now no.2 of Insect & Spider books for Amazon Canada, and it hasn't even been released there yet. Here's the URL for the U.S.: http://www.amazon.com/The-Giant-Silkmoths-Mimicry-Camouflage/dp/1906506256/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332781819&sr=1-1
"I imagine many of your members would be interested in this book, which is large coffee table format with over 100 color photos of live saturniids, and is very reasonably priced. The reviews in Great Britain, where it has been available since early November, have been filled with superlatives."
I (Bill Oehlke) have read some commentary on the new book, and it has all been very good. Check it out!.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sphingidae Express
I continue to get many Sphingidae images and sighting reports. I don't often gets submission of Paratrea plebeja:
Paratrea plebeja Davidson County, North Carolina,
July 28, 2013, courtesy of Greg Gartner.
Catocala Capers
For the first time on my North American Catocala website a live Catocala alabamae is depicted. This one is quite silvery.
Catocala alabamae, Liberty, Liberty County, Texas,
June 7, 2013, courtesy of Stuart Marcus.
"Summer 2013 collecting -- this summer I would like to receive
(1) as many specimens of male Catocala neogama as you wish to collect, from anywhere, and
(2) as many batches of eggs from as many female Catocala neogama as you care to put up and babysit for egg laying, from anywhere.
The reason is that two species appear to be going under the name Catocala neogama throughout most of its geographic range, notably east of the Great
Plains where we have all largely taken Catocala neogama for granted as a single entity. We'd like to confirm the likelihood of two species from
rearings from known females next spring, and also want to redo the data that will be used to generate these species' MONA distribution maps based on male
records (the males are easier to separate).
"Also, the same request holds for specimens/eggs from Catocala praeclara and Catocala alabamae from anywhere north of the Gulf Coast, so that we can nail down the respective distributions of these with better precision. Specimens of any sex are fine.
"The specimens sent can be in any state of preparation, pinned or not, although field pinned specimens may be the fastest to work with at this end. I'm happy to provide hints on obtaining eggs, etc., and assist anyone with shipping expenses. As always, I am also happy to determine any/all Catocala you might wish to have determined. Please feel free to forward this email to any/all of your collecting friends, and happy hunting!"
Lawrence F. Gall, Ph.D.
Head, Computer Systems Office
Informatics Manager, Entomology
Executive Editor, Peabody Publications
Lepidoptera Section Editor, Zootaxa
Peabody Museum of Natural History
P.O. Box 208118, Yale University
New Haven, CT 06520-8118 USA
http://www.peabody.yale.edu
email: lawrence.gall@yale.edu
phone: 1-203-432-9892
FAX: 1-203-432-9816
Marcie O'Connor has recently sent images of Catocala amestris and Catocala connubialis form Pulverulenta, from Buffalo County, Wisconsin.
Catocala amestris, Buffalo County, Wisconsin,
July 17, 2013, courtesy of Marcie O'Connor.
Catocala connubialis form pulverulenta, Buffalo County, Wisconsin,
July 17 2013, courtesy of Marcie O'Connor.
Catocala micronympha form hero, Buffalo County, Wisconsin,
July 19, 2013, courtesy of Marcie O'Connor.
Catocala dulciola, McGayhesville, Rockingham County, Virginia,
1am, July 15, 2013, courtesy of Kyle Warnecke.
I had to share this one. It is not hard to see from where the form name derives.
Catocala innubens form scintillans, Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts,
August 3, 2011, courtesy of Dave Small, id by Bill Oehlke.
|
 Support this website and visit other insect sites by clicking flashing butterfly links to left or right. |
|
Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please note: I reside in Canada at the following address and payment for Saturniidae livestock (eggs, cocoons, pupae) and/or sleeves must be sent to me only at this address:
Bill Oehlke
Box 476
155 Peardon Road
Montague, Prince Edward Island, C0A 1R0
Canada
Postage from USA to Canada is $1.10 so please use that amount on your envelope with your payment.
If you are in US and order cocoons or pupae from me this fall or winter, you will probably see a New Jersey return address on the shipping box. Do not send payment to the New Jersey address; send it to name and address above please.
This website has been created and is maintained by Bill Oehlke without government or institutional financial assistance. All expenses, ie., text reference support material, webspace rental from Bizland, computer repairs/replacements, backups systems, software for image adjustments (Adobe Photoshop; L-View), ftp software, anti-virus protection, scanner, etc. are my own. The one-time-life-time membership fee that is charged at the time of the registration covers most of those expenses.
I very much appreciate all the many images that have been sent to me, or of which I have been granted permission to copy and post from other websites. All images on this site remain the property of respective photographers.
If you would like to contribute to the maintenace of this website by sending a contribution to
Bill Oehlke
Box 476
155 Peardon Road
Montague, Prince Edward Island, C0A1R0
Canada
your donation would be much appreciated and would be used for
1) paying for webspace rental;
2) paying for computer maintenance and software upgrades;
3) purchases of additional text reference material (journals and books) in an effort to stay current with new species;
4) helping to pay my daughter's tuition (She has now completed her B.A. (two years ago) and B. Ed. (this spring) and is certified to teach).
I also hope to expand the North American Catocala site as well as the Sphingidae of the Americas site, to worldwide sites, and that will require additional funds for reference materials, etc. Both of those site are linked from your WLSS homepage.
If you are mailing a check from USA, please use $1.10 postage. Donations can also be made through Paypal via the button below.
Donations are not required to maintain your standing as a WLSS member, nor do they gain you any preferencial treatment with regard to livestock and/or supplies (sleeves), compared to other WLSS members. All WLSS members get first crack at my annual offerings and get an approximate discount of 10% as compared to non-members.
I do usually ask donors if they have any special requests for material on WLSS, and I try to accomodate when appropriate or within my ability to do so.