January 16 - February 14

Hi All,

Happy Valentine's Day to all you romantics!

I still have Antheraea polyphemus cocoons ($5.00 each) available, source Texas, to be shipped from Maine, as well as two male Citheronia splendens sinaloensis pupae ($6.00 each), source Arizona. That is all that I anticipate for this winter. One shipping and handling fee of $8.00 whether you order one item or twenty items, etc.

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I have updated the Citheronula species files, based on images and comments received from Ryan Saint Laurent.

Citheronula armata armata male, Parana, Brazil,
Cornell University Collection, via Ryan Saint Laurent.

Citheronula armata sonyae, male, Paraguay,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck, id by Bill Oehlke.

The subspecies "sonyae" is larger than the nominate subspecies and is characterized by "narrower and less contrasting dull orange veins."

Ryan Saint Laurent observes, "According to Lemaire, "sonyae" has slate grey fringes while the nominate [species] has uniformly orange fringes. I also note that nearly all the greyer individuals of armata (including the ones on WLSS) have a discal spot on the hindwing fused with the red/orange of the base of the HW.

"In yellow fringed nominate armata the discal spot is nearly always separate from the base. Compare the pair I've sent with the male and pair on WLSS (I'll admit that the red spot of the HW is less so connected to the base than in other sonyae-like individuals) but the overall greyness of the two on WLSS is very clearly different from the individuals I have sent. I also sent a larger image of the female.

"Overall, it seems as though sonyae may not be a subspecies, but rather a form of armata, at least in my opinion. Also, the "sonyae" male in Lemaire has the fused discal spot as well, while the nominate has a free spot."

I agree with Ryan's observations, but I think sonyae is sufficiently distinct to warrant elevation to full species status. See the files for further comments on the larvae and male sent to me by Kirby Wolfe. Kirby's male seems to have some features of both armata and sonyae. (Bill Oehlke)

Regarding the female below, Ryan Saint Laurent comments, "This individual could really be either Citheronia mexicana or Citheronia pseudomexicana. Regardless, this would be the first time a female of either species is depicted on WLSS.
Locale: Fortin de los Flores, Veracruz, Mexico; WS: 117 mm"

Citheronia pseudomexicana/mexicana?? female, Fortin de los Flores, Veracruz, Mexico,
117mm, Cornell University Collection, courtesy of Ryan Saint Laurent.

Compared to the Claude Lemaire image of the female Citheronia mexicana that I have on the mexicana file on my home computer, I feel the female from the Cornell University Collection is more likely C. pseudomexicana, primarily based on the shape of the outer margin of the forewing. In both species, the outer margin is quite convex, but in mexicana, the overall line from the apex to the anal angle is more oblique. In the female pseudomexicana the forewing seems fuller and more "squarish" near the anal angle. The size is more in line with an average pseudomexicana rather than a large mexicana. Bill Oehlke

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For the first time a larva from the Oiticella genus is depicted on WLSS. Larry Valentine also sends image of the subsequent pupa and emergent female, as well as the foodplant (another first) upon which he found the larva feeding. See the convergens file for additional images and info.

Oiticella convergens fifth instar, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
February 8, 2013, courtesy of Larry Valentine, id by Bill Oehlke

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For first time on WLSS a live Pseudobunaea tyrrhena perchromatum male is displayed, courtesy of David Bygott.

Pseudobunaea tyrrhena perchromatum male, Ngorongoro Crater, East Rim, Tanzania,
January 2013, 7500ft, courtesy of David Bygott, id by Bill Oehlke.

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Note red hairs on tarsi (legs/feet) and bright carmen abdomen which help to determine males of Automeris basalis.

Automeris basalis male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
February 13, 2010, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

For the first time on WLSS a live female Pseudautomeris luteata is displayed, recto and verso, with additional images via link on luteata file.

Pseudautomeris luteata female, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
February 2, 2013, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

Pseudautomeris luteata female (verso), Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
February 2, 2013, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

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Ryan Saint Laurent is going through the Cornell University Collection and is sending me digital images of several specimens. This may be the first time the true Bathyphlebia johnsoni appears on WLSS. See note below image.

Bathyphlebia johnsoni male, 116mm, Rio Piene, Apurimac, Peru,
courtesy of Cornell University Collection via Ryan Saint Laurent.

I note the forewings are less produced, the pm line is less concave, and the hindwing ocellus is further removed from the pm line in the Cornell University Collection image, compared to the other three male images on the johnsoni file. Based on location, I think the Cornell image is more likely true B. johnsoni, and the other three images are more likely B. flavior. I have made the notes on the johnsoni file.

Ryan also sends the following:

Eacles fairchildi male, 94mm, Parana, Brazil,
courtesy of Cornell University Collection, via Ryan Saint Laurent.

Ryan also sends the following image, and I have "labelled" it fairchildoides, because I think it is not fairchildi, but a smaller species from further south, only resembling fairchildi. The location indicated with the image is Santa Maria, which I think refers to a location in Rio Grande do Sul. Perhaps someday a leg sample will be evaluated for species determination and proper assignage of a name. Note the obvious differences in hindwing and forewing shape, thorax, size, orientation of hindwing pm line, location??, and other more subtle differences.

Eacles "fairchildoides" male, 80mm, Santa Maria, Rio Grande, do Sul, Brazil,
courtesy of Cornell University Collection, via Ryan Saint Laurent.

Eacles mayi male, 90mm, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
courtesy of Cornell University Collection, via Ryan Saint Laurent.

It should be noted that the Cornell University image location was given only as Rio, and I (Bill Oehlke) have made the assumption that refers to Rio de Janeiro, the specimen type location for mayi; Rio might refer to Rio Grande do Sul, and we could be looking at two different species on the mayi file. I note a difference in the pm line and its interection with the costa or outer margin in the Cornell image and the image from Eurides Furtado (see mayi file). In the image from Eurides, the forewing pm line does not quite reach the costa, turning instead to an intersection with the outer margin, slightly post apical. On the other hand, the same line in the Cornell University images is slightly preapical in its intersection with the costa. Perhaps this is just individual variation within the species. Perhaps not! Also note the size difference in the forewing cell markings (see mayi file).

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I believe the specimen below is a Micragone moxicoensis male, courtesy of Marc Fischer. It would be first time this species, previously treated as a subspecies of ansorgei in the literature, is depicted on WLSS.

Micragone moxicoensis male, Kafue, Zambia,
courtesy of Marc Fischer, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

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Fot the first time on WLSS a live Attacus erebus male is displayed.

Attacus erebus male, Batang, Palopo, South Sulawesi,
May 11, 2011, courtesy of Gary Saunders.

Gary Saunders reports success rearing Callosamia securifera on Liquidambar (sweetgum).

Callosamia securifera fifth instar on sweetgum,
courtesy of Gary Saunders.

Gary also reports that first instar Attacus erebus larvae appear to be doing well on Persea americana (Avacado).

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Fot the first time on WLSS a live Travassosula subfumata male is displayed. It took me a while to id this one.

Travassosula subfumata male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
January 16, 2013, courtesy of Larry Valentine, id by Bill Oehlke.

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Salassa bhutanensis, Bhutan, copyright Sherub, via Sonam Dorji

Sonam Dorji has sent me many beautiful images of Saturniidae (often with data), taken by himself or fellow collectors. His efforts should greatly improve the coverage of Saturniidae from Bhutan.

I am still not clear if S. bhutanensis is a junior synonym of S. tibaliva or a distinct species.

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For first time on WLSS Automeris midenapoensis is depicted, male and female

Automeris midenapoensis male, (76mm), Rio Tiputini, Orellana, Ecuador,
October, 2001, 300m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard, id by Bill Oehlke.

Automeris midenapoensis female, (82mm), Rio Tiputini, Orellana, Ecuador,
October, 2001, 300m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard, id by Bill Oehlke.

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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!.

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Sphingidae Express

Jeff Trahan has sent me many images from Louisiana, and documents for the first time, Aellopos titan and Enyo lugubris from Caddo Parish. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Catocala Capers

Larry Gall of Connecticut writes,
"Hi Bill,
"In the spring of 2013 I'm again rearing several dozen species of Catocala for research purposes, and I have some surplus eggs that I'd be happy to offer free to those using your site (first come, first served). I can offer varying small quantities of eggs of amatrix, angusi, briseis, innubens, lacrymosa, neogama, piatrix, robinsonii, and vidua at this time. If any of your subscribers/readers has eggs that they would like to exchange, I would also very much welcome that. Best wishes, Larry"

You can contact Larry via email at 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

Many thanks to Jeff Trahan who provides images and data for many species, including this beautiful shot of Catocala ilia.

Catocala ilia form conspicua, Eddie Jones Park, Caddo Parish, Louisiana,
May 9, 2012, courtesy of Jeff Trahan.

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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 $0.85 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.

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 $0.85 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 othe rWLSS 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.