Rothschildia aurota speculifera male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
January 26, 2010, courtesy of Larry Valentine.
Hi All,
Congratulations to Darrell Gulin whose image of an Hyalophora euryalus male has been chosen as individual adult Saturniidae photograph of the year. Many thanks to all who submitted images. Antistathmoptera daltonae rectangulata, male, by Jean-Yves Rasplus was a very close second. There were many truly beautiful images sent, and I sincerely thank all who contributed images.
Congratulations also to Robert Zaun whose image of a fifth instar Actias chapae has been chosen as winner in the larval photography contest.
There were an abundance of first time depictions on WLSS this past year, from many different people.
I have chosen Leroy Simon's submission of all instars and cocoon of Attacus lorquinii to complement his beautiful images of the adults as the life cycle award winner.
Leroy has also sent DVDs, one very recently in December that will keep me busy for a good part of 2010.
Leroy Simon writes, "I have made up a DVD of most of the moths I have reared. It has 362 jpg images on it. Several are from old slides some taken 25 years ago. Each is labeled by name. I will send you a copy. I would like to offer this DVD to members for $12 US postage included. Please take a look at and, if you think it would be of interest, post it in the newsletter. I will not charge members I have exchanged with.
Leroy Simon retains copyrights to images, but permission is given for use to promote sale or exchange of specimens or livestock."
Email Leroy Simon directly to make arrangements. Leroy has been an outstanding contributor to the WLSS over the years. His images are spectacular. The recent DVD contains many images that I still have not posted to WLSS. I have only barely scratched the surface.
"Contributer of the Year" is probably the most difficult decision to be made as so many people have contributed, many sending images of species not previously depicted on WLSS. Horst Kach of Ecuador continues to travel extensively. He collects, rears, photographs (live and spread specimens, recto and verso) and submits beautiful images with data. He has inspired many to travel to Ecuador, and additional images and data have come forth as a result. Horst is the 2009 winner of the Outstanding Contributer Award.
I will be contacting all award winners to notify them of their awards and make arrangements for the awarding of prizes.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I am now completely sold out of livestock in Canada. I have retained luna, polyphemus, cecropia and columbia as breeding stock along with some female Sphingidae pupae.
In the US for shipping to US destinations and overseas Bonnie has the following:
luna at $4.00,
spicebush swallowtails at $3.75.
There are also a limited number of Eacles oslari pupae left at $7.00/pupa.
For all US destinations there is one shipping and handling fee of $8.00. For overseas, shipping charges will depend on your location and size of order.
Please always send your complete shipping address in any emails where you are placing or enquiring about an order. Do not send money until your order has been confirmed.
I am offering a special on luna cocoons for orders of ten or more at 3.75, twenty or more luna cocoons at 3.50/cocoon plus S & H while supplies last. Same discounts for spicebush swallowtails.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Linda Bowers recently forwarded to me an excerpt from a report regarding best options for first response during an earthquake.
It is relatively short, easy to understand and is worth a quick read. It makes so much sense, that one read will probably be all
that you need to help you make some quick decisions should you ever experience an earthquake firsthand. The excerpt is linked from the main page of WLSS just below
the Specialty Area.
If you know someone living in a quake area, feel free to copy and paste the excerpt and send the text along to them. Read it first as it
contains some graphic content which you might want to edit out if you are sending to someone who has experienced loss of loved ones during an earthquake. Consider same
before you read it.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Good idea to check the Bad Traders Reports periodically as I am sure the occurence of fraud is only going to become more prevalant in the future.
Member Ryan St. Laurent sent me an email he received from a bad character.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John Kamps has provided an image of a spread Antherina suraka comorana male from Anjouan, Comoros. This is a first for WLSS.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Non-member Luka Geertsema has sent me very nice images of live male and female Holocerina smilax from Praetoria, South Africa. I think Luka discovered the moths in the morning shortly after they had separated.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Larry Valentine has sent me images of a live Automeris inornata male from Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The species name is appropriate for this rather bland moth. It is the first time a live specimen of this species has been depicted on WLSS. So far as I know larval hosts are unknown. Hopefully Larry will find a female and rear some eggs through or will find some wild larvae and obtain adults.
Larry has also sent images of a male Cicia crocata, (January 21, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil) another first for the WLSS, and he adds another Citioica anthonilis male to his collection of images as well as a male Psilopygida walkeri.
I am pretty sure a recent submission is of Scolesa viettei another new one for Minas Gerais. I need to get id confirmation on this one.
Rothschildia aurota speculifera male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
January 26, 2010, courtesy of Larry Valentine.
Non-member Peter Bruce-Jones has sent me images of what I believe is a Pseudodirphia uniformis fifth instar larva from Pantiacolla Lodge, Manu, Cusco, Peru, September 2008, 550m. Based on elevation and Lemaire's description and image, I am pretty sure the id is correct. This is the first time a larva of this species has been depicted on WLSS.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Renco Smeelen has sent this image of Samia insularis, first time live moth of this species is depicted on WLSS.
Samia insularis male, Barat Province, Java, courtesy of Renco Smeelen.
Robert Zaun has sent an image of a fifth instar Lobobunaea phaedusa christyi larva, with foodplant info: Quercus. This is the first time the larva and foodplant of this species, possibly elevated to full species status as Lobobunaea christyi ??, have been presented on WLSS.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Robert Lemaitre has sent me images that he and the breeding team assembled from a pairing of an Actias sinensis male with an Actias selene female. Images have been posted to the hybrid section.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I have just posted Teemu Klemetti's images of spread Saturnia (Rinaca) grotei females from Nepal to that species file. The day flying males are yet to be depicted.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jason Weigner has sent images of a tattered female Citheronia laocoon as well as an image of eggs from Pailon, 70 km east of Santa cruz in Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia. Female was taken January 17, 2010 at 250m. I have posted data and confirm the sighting with a link to the images.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thibaud Decaens announces:
A free download of recently described (2008) Leucanella bonillensis and Cerodirphia zulemae is available at DOWNLOAD.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I am working on Adeloneivaia and Sphingicampa/Syssphinx comparison series to aid with identifications of a large nummber of images (other species as well) sent to me by Robert Lehman from Honduras.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sphingidae Express
Larry Valentine has recently sent me images of many Sphingidae from Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, among them this beautiful image of Lintneria justiciae, first time posted to Sphingidae of Americas website.
Lintneria justiciae, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
January 31, 2010, courtesy of Larry Valentine.
Derek Woolard of Chicagoland, Illinois, has sent an image of Eumorpha labruscae, seen in his yard during fall of 2008. This is probably a wind-assisted stray as this species is not often seen so far to the north.
*******************************
WLSS Special Edition: I am currently working on checklists for Departments in Bolivia and hope to have them completed by November 21.
*******************************
Arctiidae Art
Kirby Wolfe indicates he will be sending me many electronic images of Arctiidae from Costa Rica. I will shortly begin construction of a worldwide Arctiidae site. Those who wish to contribute images of adults and/or larvae or any other stages are welcome to do so. All images that I use remain the property of respective photographers.
I am working on creating the text files and orgainizing names at this stage. It will probably be after Christmas that I do first posting.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Catocala Capers
Andrew Timchenko of Moscow, Russia writes, "I would like to exchange with anyone who can offer a good variety of Catocala and next some other moths of Nearctica. I can offer everything I keep in my stocks (unfortunately I did not prepare a good list of my sp-s for exchange - too many even to identify)...
"I will appreciate exchange with some reliable persons at the end of each coll. season would be just perfect! So, my main interest will be CATOCALA and secondary some other popular familis & genera."
Email: Andrew Timchenko.
Andrew is a WLSS member who has sent me many very nice digital images for posting to WLSS over the years. I have no reason to doubt his integrity, and I suspect some of you will engage in mutually satisfying exchanges. Bill Oehlke.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Caterpillars Too!, a North American butterfly website:
*******************************
A new Coleoptera (Beetles) page is being created.
This page will be resricted to those members of WLSS who have an interest in Coleoptera (Beetles) and who are willing to have their email addresses posted there for correspondence, limited to the Coleoptera family.
This list will not be available through any search engines and will not be linked by me from any of my websites. Instead, those members who register (no charge) will be directed to an unlisted URL.
Members whose names appear on this list have agreed to use the contact information solely for the purpose of furthering their interests in Coleoptera.
Members have also agreed that they will neither post this list/page nor divulge its contents nor share its contents with others.
To have your name and email contact information posted on the Coleoptera page, send email to Bill Oehlke, indicating you agree to terms above.
N.B. This is note a Coleoptera site, just a listing of contact info for WLSS members with an interest in Coleoptera.
Two new names have been added to the Coleoptera page as of January 16, 2009.
There are also quite a few members interested in Sphingidae, so I will post special Sphingidae page under same conditions. I am also considering an African Sphingidae section if there is sufficient interest and those who can supply high quality images.
A Catocala page will also be posted.
If you wish to have your name, location, interests and email posted on the Coleoptera, Sphingidae or Catocala contacts page, please let me know.
*******************************
|
 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.