Hi All,
Merry Christmas! Season's Greetings!
The fifteen finalists for the 2005 Photography Contest have been posted at http://www.insectcompany.com/silkmoth/WLSSphotonm2005.htm
The photo winner will be announced on January 16, 2006. There will also be a WLSS membership random draw for a prize from all the email ballots that are recorded. The 2006 contest will have two divisions, one for moths, and one for larvae.
Please vote to honour the many photographers who contribute so much to our enjoyment of the WLSS. Send by email the number of the moth and the name of the photographer. You might win the draw!
Photographers are also eligible to vote!
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If any of you have reared Actias dubernardi and can pass along some tips or an article, the info would be much appreciated as at least one member has a good supply of cocoons and would like to do some rearing.
Many thanks to Alan Marson for sharing his experiences with this species in the Members' Articles section.
Thanks also go to Dan Zieher for his notes on this species.
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Thanks goes to Stefan Naumann who provided ids for the Sulawesi material: Antheraea paukstadtorum, Antheraea cordifolia, Antheraea rosemariae, Loepa minahassae, Samia vandenberghi. Images of the specimens in folded/papered position have been added to individual files.
All Sulawesi, Madagascar and Cameroon specimens have been sold.
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Rainer Plontke has sent me an image of a fifth instar Rothschildia lebeau yucatana and images of Automeris larra larvae (images posted to species files). Let's hope he is successful in getting images of live moths!
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Dominique Adès has sent me a stunning image of a "Lateral view of inflating (Graellsia x A. dubernardi) male hybrid".
The image will be posted to Photography section and to Hybrid section.
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In the November Newsletter there was a request for common names used for Saturniidae by local people (Zulu) in Africa. Jane R. Walden writes, "The insects are included in the meat group: amacimbi, or emperor moth larvae, (Saturniidae), mostly Micragone cana, Bunaea alcinoe, and Cirina forda .... The amacimbi are noted as a good source of protein and thiamin and an excellent source of riboflavin and calcium. As meat, amacimbi can be prepared by either sun-drying or roasting, and salt may be added. For adding to soups, amacimbi should be cleaned, boiled for approximately 2 1/2 hours, steamed dry and fried."
The native people are more interested in the caterpillers for food than they are in the adult insects for display. I guess one species is as tasty as the next, so they are all amacimbi.
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Salvador Soares now has his Argema mimosae larvae into the third and fourth instars and sent some beautiful images. He is rearing them on sweetgum. I have posted images to the individual species file.
Salvadore's Argema mimosae fourth instar image, posted in the photography section, has moved me to announce that there will be a separate photography contest just for larvae in 2006.
I was once asked if I get bored rearing the same species year after year.
Perhaps I am easily pleased; my answer was, "No".
There is a great appreciation and childlike wonderment here still for the moths and possibly even more so for the larvae. I get great pleasure as I am tending the larvae (thousands of them) year after year. Huge, healthy, fifth instar luna, polyphemus, cecropia and columbia are still a sight to behold. I see, too, what they are capable of doing when I change of sleeve of fifty luna that have completely stripped a fifteen foot birch tree.
I am sure, by the many outstanding larval images that arrive, that many of you experience this same enjoyment of the larvae. Check out Salvador's fourth instar image in the photography section!
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Derek Bridgehouse sent me images of wild hybrid Hyalophora columbia x Hyalophora cecropia, Hyalophora columbia gloveri x Hyalophora cecropia and an interesting Hyalophora columbia gloveri aberration. Images have been posted to respective sections.
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Robert Lemaitre sent beautiful images of Rothschildia hopfferi larvae, instars 1-4, posted to species file, reared from eggs from Campos de Jordâo North/east, Sao Paulo, 1200m, Brésil via his friend Gilles Flutsch.
Robert also sent images of instars 1-5 of Actias gnoma, Japan, courtesy of Steve Kohll. Larvae were reared on Alnus cordata, a new foodplant listing for this species.
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Rodolphe Rougerie has just sent me some beautiful images of a male Loepa oberthuri (China) and larvae of Aglia tau amurensis (South Korea), Usta angulata (Tanzania), Automeris janus (French Guiana) and Eacles ormondei peruviana (French Guiana).
Rodolphe has also just sent (December 14 arrival) a copy of his (with Jeremy Bouyer) recently published description of a male of new species Holocerina wensis from Burkina Faso. Other Saturniidae from the region are also discussed so I will shortly post notes and images.
Jeremy has been collecting for the past three years so additional (new) information on the region is expected in the near future.
The article appears in Bulletin de la Societe entomologique de France, pp 337-350.
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Jonathon Tubbs sent me a comparison image of Eacles imperialis imperialis and Eacles imperialis pini. The image is linked from the pini page. Jonathon also sent an image of Hemileuca eglanterina shastaensis, now posted on shastaensis page.
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In addition to his cd with many new images of live Saturniidae, Bernhard Wenczel has also just sent a beautiful image of a female Leucanella apollinaire and an image of the larva with foodplant. Images were taken by Viktor Suter.
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There are some cocoons still available from my father in New Jersey
lunas $4.00
polyphemus $4.50
and cynthia $4.00
cecropia sold out again
Automeris cecrops pamina, Callosamia angulifera, Citheronia regalis
and Eacles imperialis pini sold out very quickly, mostly to WLSS
members--now at over 450 members.
He also as some spicebush swallowtail chrysalids.
My father's prices are slightly different than mine so inquire before sending payment. You can reach him directly at gamster28@hotmail.com
There are also very nice butterfly pupae available: Enquire directly.
I also left some Sphinx cerisyi pupae there at $3.00 each.
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Christmas is coming. Now is time to consider some presents
that could provide a lifetime of enjoyment:
Kirby Wolfe Saturniidae Collection CD
See http://www.insectcompany.com/silkmoth/kirbywolfe.htm
Robert Thompson Limited Edition Fine Art Prints
See http://www.insectcompany.com/silkmoth/rthome.html
Robert Thompson Macro Photography book
See http://www.insectcompany.com/silkmoth/RobertThompsonbookcovershot.htm
Gift memberships to WLSS or Caterpillars Too!
More cocoons and/or chrysalids
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Bonnie J. Caruthers has sent me a copy of her "Ode to a Poly" with permission to post to the Members' Articles section. Bonnie very much enjoys reading moth accounts in older books, and she has beautifully captured the wonderment of this creature and her appreciation of same in this dedication.
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How It Happens!
I recently received a request (Yeray Monasterio - Spain) for information for Ceranchia apollina - (Madagascar). I did not have a foodplant listing on WLSS and there is nothing on NHM Hosts database or in any references I have.
I did an internet search for Ceranchia apollina and found a recently posted image of a live male apollina (Jean-Yves Malmasson - France).
I sent requests to several knowledgeable people and all of them tried to help. Some had no information; others offered bits and pieces.
Yeray Monasterio and Jean-Yves provided some hostplant info.
Rolf Oberprieler - (Australia) provided an alternate host and an image of a fifth instar larva.
An internet search for identified hostplants resulted in contact with a gentleman from Madagascar who may be able to supply images of larvae and native hosts.
All those who responded to my inquiry received updates as info arrived.
Andreas Riekert indicates he will shortly be sending images of Copaxa orientalis; Rodolphe Rougerie sent images as indicated above, and pics and info of a new African species will be posted after publication.
Hopefully this beautiful species (C. apollina) will be less of a mystery in the very near future.
Many thanks to Kirby Wolfe - California; Alan Marson - United Kingdom; Eric van Schayck - Germany for images already on apollina page, and to Thierry Bouyer and Rodolphe Rougerie for text info on the apollina page.
Rolf Oberprieler sent additional images of a larva in various instars.
Also during my search for hostplant info, I came across a great site for development of hostplant pictures and information for species from Japan and the Far East.
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Ric Peigler writes,
"Dear Bill,
"There is a dealer in England who is now discounting copies of Saturniidae Mundi and Sphingidae Mundi. At 50 pounds off his original price, I think that this is more than $100 cheaper per book than one can get them from BioQuip.
Perhaps you know someone who has been waivering about getting these books. The dealer is cited below."
Visit our website for a wide selection of books on entomology and related subjects: http://www.pemberleybooks.com
Pemberley Natural History Books
18 Bathurst Walk, IVER, SL0 9AZ, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1753 631114 Fax: +44 (0)1753 631115
orders@pemberleybooks.com
fiona.ryan@pemberleybooks.com
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On December 12, Franz Renner writes,
"Dear Bill,
This year I was very busy with rearing Chinese Saturniidae and my son Julian has documented all the larvae. Today I have sent you a small parcel with 2 CD's with the pictures and the date of foodplants and localities of all the species."
I look forward to seeing the cds (Julian does a great job with photography; I have already seen some of his work) and posting new images and information to the site.
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Sphingidae Express
Jean Haxaire recently sent me images of live Sphingidae from Zacatecas, Mexico: Xylophanes eumedon, Isognathus rimosus inclitus, Hyles lineata, Manduca muscosa, Manduca occulta, Eumorpha titan, Eumorpha labruscae and Xylophanes falco.
All images are of exceptional quality and have been posted to individual species files.
Special mention is made here of the rare Monarda oryx. Jean discovered and published early instar descriptions and foodplants of this incredible, rare insect from his rearings in 2003.
Jean also sent an image of a spread male Paonias wolfei. This species is seldom seen and is very rare in collections.
Mike van Buskirk sent a nice image of the pupa from his Sphinx libocedrus larva find. I hope to be able to display a live moth next summer.
Mike also sent images of a freshly eclosed Xylophanes pluto moth. Mike found larvae in south Texas and was able to get pupation and subsequent eclosion. Images have been posted.
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Catocala Capers
Tom Dimock sent me data and beautiful images of Catocala hippolyta from southern California.
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Please check the Members' Wish list periodically and help when you can.
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Arctiidae Art
My Platarctia parthenos larvae (only a few) are outside in great big plastic tub, probably about thirty gallon size, under some leaves in the woods. Hope they survive the winter. It's cold here now!
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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 use links to flower images sent to me by John Campbell and Melody Lytle.
Several WLSS/Caterpillars Too! members have purchased gift memberships for others and that has practice has been well received.
The Pennsylvania skippers maps have just been completed and posted.
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Paypal:
I do not use Paypal for several reasons:
1) Once my own livestock is sold out, much of the stock I sell is stock I have purchased from others. If my father is doing the shipping and/or he has purchased the stock, we share the profits which become minimal. I also pay taxes on profits. Paypal takes a 3.5% commission off the top.
2) Because I am in Canada, all Paypal transfers to my account get changed by Paypal/transferring agency into Canadian dollars, and to protect themselves against fluctuating exchange rates, they give less than the going rate so additional funds are lost.
3) If I need to convert the Canadian dollars back to U.S. dollars to make a purchase for additional stock, the bank also protects itself on the exchange so additional money would be lost.
I prefer personal checks for those reasons.
If payment comes in U.S. dollars via a personal check, I can put it directly into my U.S. account here in Canada (can't do that with Paypal for some reason) and can withdraw U.S. funds without any loss of dollars.
I entered a leasing agreement with Toyota for a new car for my wife in July after her car was written off when a young man went through a stoplight and plowed into the vehicle. Toyota would not accept Visa credit card for the $6,000.00 downpayment. I got a bank draft. I asked the salesman why they would not accept Visa and was told it is because of the commission that Visa takes on such transactions.
I don't want to lose transaction fees to banks or credit card
companies, either, hence no Paypal or credit cards for payments.
I sometimes receive Euro banknotes or U.S. banknotes from
members/customers in Europe in registered letters and that has
not been a problem thus far. Personal check is still preferred method
of payment. I save the Euro banknotes and then use them to purchase
new Saturniidae reference material from Erich Bauer in Germany.
It's always a bit nerve-wracking, however, to know banknotes are
coming or going, and I generally do not recommend that practice.
Direct bank transfers have also been accepted with the sender paying
the transfer fee. These can go directly into my U.S. account at my
local bank without any loss to me.
International Postal Money orders in U.S. funds are also accepted.
I cannot, however, cash a U.S. Postal Money Order here
(only International Postal Money Orders in U.S. funds)
as it says right on front of money order, "cashable in U.S. only". Of
course, Canadian customers can pay in equivalent exchange rate
Canadian dollars.
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