Hi All,

Wanted: I am looking to purchase NOW at least 100 overwintering Antheraea polyphemus cocoons @ $2.00 U.S./cocoon. Delivery would be to New Jersey. Let me know, please, if you have any available at that price.

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I am curious about flight times of Antheraea polyphemus in southern states. I have recently updated polyphemus file to read as follows:

"FLIGHT TIMES:
In Canada and U.S. border states Antheraea polyphemus is univoltine (single brooded). Most adult moths fly from late May to July.

In New Jersey, the Ohio River Valley, and westward the species is bivoltine (double brooded). Winter diapause stock (pupae that have remained in cocoons over the winter) usually emerges in April or May and second brood adults emerge in July or August. In Texas and Florida adults fly in every month except January.

On January 25, 2003, I received a report of a pair of polyphemus in Florida. Adult moths were seen in the same area in late November.

Vernon Brou reports that there are five peak flights in Lousiana at 47 day intervals from mid- March through September.

On January 30, 2003, I received a report of an outdoor polyphemus emergence from Baton Rouge, Louisiana on January 29. I suspect there is at least a partial sixth brood in La., or changes in weather patterns are creating changes in flight seasons."

The cocoon had been in an outdoor "container" which might have served as some sort of heat trap.

I am interested in feedback from all areas, but particularly from the South. Please let me know your observations on polyphemus in your area, both in the past and in upcoming season(s).

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The new "Egg availability" section has been posted. If you have eggs to offer that are of species not normally offered by either my father or myself, let me know, and I will post your offering, price, address and email (for confirmation) on the site.

I will also post "out of season" egg availability for species like lunas, polyphemus, etc., when they are available from southern regions outside of the normal period I offer them (May-July).

Please note, I believe all the offerings I receive for posting will be from reliable and responsible people. I cannot, however, be responsible for what transpires between other traders/buyers/sellers.

I have witnessed seemingly good pairings that sometimes result in infertile eggs. My own policy on such occurences is posted on the site.

It will be up to members to check egg availability and to make all arrangements individually.

For my own protection, I will place a disclaimer on the site and an indication that all import permits are the responsibility of the recipient.

If you receive improper treatment from dealers not posted on the site, I will likely also post that information (provided you forward it to me) for members' protection after a brief investigation.

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Membership continues to grow and I will begin to archive all copies of the "Mothly Newsletter" on site. That may provide an interesting historical overview of the site's development and will allow new members to "catch up" on things they might have missed.

January's Newsletter as well as this one are now on site.

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I have streamlined the opening page a bit and have also included a section entitled "Especially For Youth" and will begin offering articles written at age appropriate levels.

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My father, Don Oehlke, 34 McCann Mill Road, Pottersville, New Jersey 07979 has Actias luna and Callosamia promethea cocoons at $3.50 U.S; Hyalophora cecropia at $5.00 and Papilio glaucus (eastern tiger swallowtail) and Papilio troilus (spicebush swallowtail) pupae for $3.50, and an assortment of Sphingidae pupae at $3.50: Amorpha juglandis, Ceratomia undulosa, Paonias myops, Pachysphinx modesta. There is minimum order of $20.00 and there is one shipping and handling charge of $6.00 in U.S., probably $10.00 overseas. He also has pupae of Citheronia regalis at $16.00/pair. You can confirm availability at 908-439-2462. He is also now taking email

gamster28@hotmail.com

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Membership access is at

http://www.insectcompany.com/silkmoth/kurthi.htm

No password or login is necessary.

Please remember to keep access information confidential as I wish to put new registration fees toward purchase of Lemaire's new book on the Hemileucinae. The book is expensive (around $350.00), but extremely well done according to all reports I have read.

I would also ask that you encourage other Saturniidae enthusiasts to visit the introduction to the WORLD'S LARGEST SATURNIIDAE SITE at
http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/indexos.htm

The site will continue to grow and I believe there is nothing comparable to it on the internet. Click on reload or restore if it doesn't load up first time.

Thanks again to Clive Pratt of the Insect Company for hosting the site.

*********KIRBY WOLFE*********

Kirby has sent another set of beautiful images for February. Check them out if you haven't already done so.

*********SPECIAL NOTICES*********

I have recently made contact with Ismael and Marie Lumawig of the Philippines. They are breeding local livestock and have items for sale. I have recently posted images of Attacus caesar (same as imperator), Antheraea mindoroensis and Actias philippinica philippinica, with the promise of more images coming as Ismael is gaining experience with a digital camera.

Ismael's images will shortly (probably by end of February) be linked to a page for Ismael and Marie so that you will be able to contact them.

********COUNTRY BY COUNTRY CHECKLISTS********

I have begun making country by country checklists for Southeast Asia and have included a map of the region. I have accurate checklists for that region and believe I have good checklists for Mexico and most of Central America, Australia and Europe.

The Southeast Asia section is not yet linked from the main page, but you can access it at
http://www.insectcompany.com/silkmoth/mapsoutheastAsia.htm

I'm off from school today, another snowstorm, so will be working on that section.

I intend to do all regions of the world in a similar fashion with maps. I need information for African and South American countries. If any of you can help with checklists, the help would be much appreciated and you will be credited for information.

Eventually I will also do state by state and province by province lists for the U.S. and Canada.

********NEW MEMBER INTEREST*******

New member Scott Serrano has an "unusual" interest. He is creating "reports" for fictitious insects. The reports are written in the prose-poetic style of 19th century entomologists, complete with illustrations done by Scott.

He sent me a copy of one of his works and I have posted it to the site under Members' Sidelines at
http://www.insectcompany.com/silkmoth/novel.htm

The report looks very authentic and is an interesting read.

********NEWSLETTERS:***********

The Mothly Newsletter (not a typo) will be sent out monthly via email.

If you do not wish to receive the newsletter, let me know and I will remove your name from the newsletter mailing list. Same applies to "Sphinx Express" for the fast-fliers' enthusiasts.

*********SPECIAL REQUESTS*********

Save your empty cocoons for Carol Neeves. She works with the silk and would like all the empties you can send her. Carol has just set me a write up with pictures to show what she does with the silk (now posted in Members' Articles section).

Neeves, Carol, 1609 Ponderosa Drive, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57103 CANeeves@aol.com

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