Spring is coming, maybe??
From now on I will begin to post preliminary copies of Mothly Newsletter as items develop with member mailouts mid month. Already quite a few new images have come in since the January Mothly newsletter (January 15-16) went out only two days ago.
February 14, 2004
Happy Valentine's Day
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Just got an email (Feb 14) that my father has received some new cecropia, polyphemus, cynthia, promethea, and io. Limit 4 per species except cynthia (all you want). Please reserve your order ASAP as these will not last long. Orders will be shipped when payment is received. Please confirm what you want and reserve before sending payment to Don Oehlke, 34 McCann Mill Road, Pottersville, New Jersey 07979.
Reserve at gamster28@hotmail.com
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I recently received this email from Joel Minet:
"Just a short message for a very sad piece of news: our esteemed Colleague Claude LEMAIRE is deceased. He died last week, more precisely on 5 February, as the result of a severe illness. He was eighty-three.
"He will be inhumed tomorrow (February 11) at Père-Lachaise cemetery (F-75020 Paris). His wife Ludmilla (Nelda) is now alone in a large house (La Croix des Baux, F-84220 Gordes)... and all of us will miss Claude: a friend and an entomologist of the first rank.
"Bon courage à tous!
"Yours sincerely,
"Joel
"(Pr J. Minet, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle:
"Entomologie, 45 rue Buffon, F-75005 Paris, France"
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I have acquired some of Claude Lemaire's great works: Arsenurinae, Ceratocampinae, Attacinae, Hemileucinae. I am in awe of the scope of his efforts regarding Saturniidae.
His books are a must for anyone maintaining a serious collection, and I had written him in appreciation about a month before his passing. My condolences to all who lost a close friend.
If any of you, who knew Claude Lemaire personally, would like to post a tribute to him, pass it along and I will upload it to the site.
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With all the many computer viruses on the go, email recipients should never open an email attachment unless they know exactly who it is from and what is in the attachment. I don't open any attachments unless they have a jpg extension indicating an image or unless I know the sender and there is a detailed text message indicating what is in the attachment.
It is possible for many viruses to assume valid sender addresses, and I have actually seen three different valid addresses (people I know) with computer virus attachments that did not originate from the indicated sender.
Do not ever open email attachments that have my email address unless they are jpg attachments, the only kind I ever send.
If I have a large number of images I want to send for help with identification, I will either send them a couple at a time (never as zip files) or post them to a website and send you a text message explaining what I have posted and the URL you can visit to see images.
I would encourage all members to follow same procedure and of course, all should have reliable, current virus protection.
I personally use eTrust EZ Antivirus and have automatic updates and receive notification of updates almost daily. I have found this service to be inexpensive and highly reliable.
Beware of coincidences. I recently sent out a request for id help and a couple of days later received a message from one of the addressees. I was suspicion of the response as it contained no text explanation, was directed to a group I subscribe to and contained a zip extension on the attachment. Fortunately I did not open the attachment.
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Among the Ceratocampinae, Eacles, Bathyphlebia, Citheronia, Citheronula, Citheronioides, Procitheronia, Schausiella, Othorene, Cicia, etc., genera have been updated, using Lemaire's Ceratocampinae as a reference.
I am learning much as I go through this process.
I have also started to display a representative larva (when I have one) on each genus page.
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James Seawright sent me an image of a Pseudautomeris larva from southeastern Panama. It seems a best match for salmonea and has been added to that file.
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Jan Hellert sent me a series of images of Loxolomia johnsoni larvae, fourth and fifth instars, and now first instar, and of first instar Arsenura ponderosa. Images have been posted.
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Andreas Riekert
inv.research@t-online.de
has sent me some beautiful hybrids (Actias maenas x Actias luna
and Attacus atlas x Attacus erebus, posted to the hybrid section as well
as many nice images of rarer species, many of which were not previously
depicted:
Actias gnoma gnoma, Actias groenendaeli, Actias rhodopneuma,
Attacus inopinatus, Attacus intermedia, Attacus lemairei,
Archaeoattus staudingeri, Coscinocera rothschildi, Rhodinia jankowskii
All have been uploaded to respective files.
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Stephen Ife sent me an interesting/beautiful image of Hemileuca eglanterina moth from British Columbia. I have posted it to eglanterina file.
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Werner Zoller provided me with an mage of a female Rothschildia tucumani and a male Heniocha marnois f. bioculata. I think. I have posted them to respective files.
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Pablo Wagner from Argentina confirms Dysdaemonia brasilienis from
Argentina and will probably send me an image shortly, which I will post
upon receipt. Pablo offers specimens of Saturniidae from northern Argentina
and Paraguay
info@peinsects.com
Visit his website at http://www.peinsects.com
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Martin Jagelka sent me some beautiful images of Attacus atlas atlas (lots of golden yellow scaling), and also an image of a female Attacus atlas silhettica
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Ulrich Paukstadt has provided me with much help and info and there are many new images added to Southeast Asia files and has helped with much distribution information. Check out Philippines page at
http://www.s89032563.onlinehome.us/khPhilippines.htm
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Andrey Timchenko, new member from Moscow, Russia, has sent me some beautiful images of Neoris species as well as Aglia tau forms, Saturnia spini, Eriogyna pyretorum and Actias gnoma mandschurica.
Neoris images are at
http://www.s89032563.onlinehome.us/Neoris.htm if you want to have a peak before I get them sorted out.
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I have updated checklist for China to include Rhodinia rudloffi based on specimens of that species received from China by Teemu Klemetti. Image posted.
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I have just posted an image of Adetomeris micropthalma from Chile. The species had not previously been depicted on the WLSS.
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Bernhard Wenczel has just sent me images of Meroleuca bravera and Meroleuca decaensi, not previously depicted, and Bernhard continues to be a great source of help and inspiration.
He also sent me images of Prohylesia peruviana female and sixth instar, indicating larvae feed on bamboo.
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Nobby Cordeiro has sent me images from Tanzania and I am now working on checklists for African countries.
Checkout very very preliminary work at
http://www.s89032563.onlinehome.us/Africacansats.htm
Some of you may want to track how I am doing this.
I would like very much to follow the example of Claude Lemaire and list collecting data for African species. I seek towns, cities, regions, countries, dates, clock times, elevations, etc., for any and all African species. Every bit of information helps.
Many of you have private collections with some of this information. If you are willing to share, please forward the info and images for display on site. All data/images will be credited to the source.
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Michel Laguerre has given me permission to use his image of Syssphinx xanthia, a Guatemalan-Nicaraguan species not previously depicted on the site. Image has been uploaded.
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Vernon A. Brou has sent me an interesting and informative article about Actias luna emergence patterns in Louisiana. See Members' Articles section.
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The Caterpillars Too Website (North American Butterflies) is also coming along nicely and will be very useful to many people interested in butterflies and their larvae.
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I am working on a rug of Rothschildia tucumani Images will be on display at Saturniidae Rug Hooking and also in the Members' Sidelines page. Click on More Rugs link to see tucumani.
I also received a request to do another polyphemus or a Hyalophora euryalus for a gentleman in California.
I am enjoying the activity as it is a welcome break from sitting/typing at the computer.
Maybe someday the rugs will be famous. Chuckle!
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Just posted interesting pictures and account of a female polyphemus from Missouri in the Missouri Counties file.
The day after I received the polyphemus note (moth emerged in indoors in February), I received another email from New York. A swallowtail butterfly had emerged in the kitchen and the surprised host was wondering how and what to feed it.
Yesterday in church, a young women brought a live butterfly for identification. She had found it in her attic and thought it was a moth, had phoned me, and I was puzzled and recommended she bring it to church. It was a healthy Nymphalis milberti, Milbert's Tortoiseshell, one of the anglewings which typically hibernate as adults. She has returned it to her attic. It will probably depart in late May when temps are suitable for flight.
I hadn't thought of a butterfly in the attic, but that might have been what another February writer encountered when she indicated she was sure the Woolly Bear cocoon she had placed in attic for cold storage had emerged. I'm sticking with the fridge crisper!>
Another woolly bear emerged February and a gaint leopard moth. These Arctiidae will cocoon in late fall and emerge in winter if kept warm.
Also received a note from North Carolina. A luna caterpillar that cocooned indoors in late September as a result of an outdoor caterpillar find, emerged February 9. Store your stock under normal outdoor conditions or it may emerge prematurely. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
New page for Japan with Japanese names and a map at http://www.s89032563.onlinehome.us/Japanesesats.htm
**********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.
Clive's site was down for a short period in February, and by coincidence the server problems coincided with my movement of the site to another location. This summer I will probably rename all the files which still reside on Clive's site, but are currently inaccessible as I disabled the main index (due to non-member access). Then members will have two different sources in case one site/server is down for a bit. *************************************
Since I am sold out for the season, I have turned the livestock section of websites over to my father who is still offering Callosamia promethea and Samia cynthia cocoons as well as Paonias myops pupae.
Checkout his offerings at
He will also be offering cocoons of spring or first brood luna and polyphemus at $3.00 U.S. each for spring luna, and $3.50 each for polyphemus. These must be ordered by May 1st if possible.
These moths usually hatch in 14-21 days of spinup and should hatch in early July.
Minimum order is $26.00 which includes the shippping and handling fee of $6.00.
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I will be offering eggs again in the spring and will post price lists end of February.
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Please have a look at Members' Wish List every so often as you might be able to make someone's day!
*********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
Janet Hightower is also looking for empty cocoons. She is doing a project on making rattles out of cocoons, and promises us some images and an article after she makes some noisemakers.
Janet Hightower, 1319 Ahlrich Avenue, Encinitas, California 92024 janet@scripps.edu
North American Saturniidae cd available to members only at $15.00 U.S. which includes postage. State by state listings, pooled images for each species. Saves you airtime if that is an issue. Please note, this IS NOT the cd of the World's Largest Saturniidae Site which I expect to have ready at $15.00 in August 2004.
Contract agreement is that copies of North American Saturniidae cd will not be distributed or copied for sale or redistribution by recipients.
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Non-members:
As indicated in a previous newsletter, someone calling himself Brent Witt was publishing free access info on a primarily European/Asian/African posting site. I was alerted by one of the members and moved the site and contacted webmaster Michael Yeh to have the postings removed, and he promptly reponded and took the postings down.
I also received a personal email from the person calling himself
Brent Witt and in my response explained the rationale behind a
private members' site with a registration fee:
1) literally thousands of hours to develop and post site files
2) almost daily two hours of maintenance with updates, new image and
file postings
3) need to maintain high speed internet access (monthly expense)
4) regular purchase of high quality reference material (expense) to
improve accuracy/reliablility of site info and images
5) scanner and software expenses, etc.
I also declare income and pay taxes on my livestock business as
well as declare income from membership sales.
Brett indicated he felt I was greedy. Perhaps he still feels that way.
At any rate he is not a member and should not be given access to the
membership site. If anyone ever contacts you, claiming to be a member
and asking for lost access info, please direct them to me.
After dismantling/disenabling the site at insectcompany.com, I received
several emails from non-members who had been accessing the site. I
explained to them that the site was a private membership site and
invited them to take out membership. I did not hear back from any of
these NON-MEMBERS:
Karl-Heinz Eger
Mieke Duytschaever (Belgium)
Brian Morris
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On another note, I recently saw a posting on insectnet.com (January 24) from Non-member Richard Heurtin. His posting is in green below:
"This post to warn everybody about Fernand Gally / Mark Gravel, I have send money to Fernand Gally through the paypal account of Marck Gravel: mcmxc@rogers.com I have request him proof about shipment, didn't give me, this is a month and half a month i have sent him money, still nothing received one thing about all make me sure he is a liar and a thief is that he asked me where i heard of Mark Gravel, trying to mean that he doesn't know the guy!!!! or it is the paypal account i sent the money!! if someone knows him and know how i can contact the local authority, i wish to complain about this Mark Gravel who is the true fellow hiding through Fenand Gally other mail of Fernand/Mark:lepidoptera@rogers.com any help will be welcome"
What caught my eye in this fraud complaint (which may or may not be valid) was the email address given for Fernand Gally. I had received a somewhat nasty unsigned email from same address (lepidoptera@rogers.com) just prior to Brent Witt fiasco. I responded to lepidoptera@rogers.com politely in answer to his questions but did not hear back from him in response to my questions.
I also received several requests from Marc Gravel (non-member) regarding livestock prices and general info. I answered all of Marc's questions. He wrote back thanking me and indicated he was not interested in purchasing at this time, but probably would contact me again at a future date.
A couple of days later I saw on insectnet.com a posting from Marc Gravel, seeking to purchase livestock. I think he had a couple of postings.
A couple of weeks later he again emailed me, looking for info. I supplied him with the info. I think he had purchased some Eupackardia calleta eggs from someone, thinking the eggs would overwinter like B. morii eggs. At any rate he did not have any foliage to feed them in Canada in late fall early winter. I provided him with some general info again and he thanked me but said he was not interested in ordering anything at this time. About a week or so later I saw another of his postings on insectnet.com looking for livestock.
I do not know if there is any connection between Fernand Gally and Marc Gravel. They may both be very legitimate. I also did not mind Marc's intitial requests for info, but feel he may have been taking advantage of me by purchasing stock from other suppliers repeatedly (who don't take time to advise), yet seeking info from me.
Members who know either of these individuals and can vouch for them should send me email. If it appears that they are legitimate, then I will remove the above comments from this newsletter posting. Otherwise, you just might want to be careful in your dealings with either of them.
Sometimes fraud complaints, though, are just a case of lack of patience and a simple misunderstanding. It is interesting to note though that both Fernand and Marc have rogers.com accounts.
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