Hi All,
Many thanks to all those who contributed images in 2005, and to the many who voted to select the winner of the 2005 Photography Contest.
The winner is Kirby Wolfe and Kirby's photo of Actias maenas will adorn the opening page of the WLSS for 2006.
Honourable mention goes to second place (Bonnie Caruthers) and third place (Rodolphe Rougerie) entries.
The outstanding contributor for 2005 is Bernhard Wenzel. Bernhard sent me a CD stocked with many images of spread specimens from his collection. Quite a few were not previously depicted on the WLSS and I have been adding them as I update files. The CD also contains hundreds of images of live larvae and moths by Viktor Suter and/or Bernhard from Bernhard's rearings.
Bernhard also sent me a print copy of one newly described Saturniinae species (Copaxa wolfei) and eighteen new additions to the Hemileucinae, all from Peru. He along with Stefan Naumann and Ulrich Brosch, co-authored the descriptions (with contributions from Frank Meister and Ronald Brechlin), and I suspect that over the next couple of years Bernhard will rear many of the newly described species.
His dedication to the Saturniidae family will probably also result in the discovery of many more species.
I also frequently call upon Bernhard for identification help of Peruvian species.
It will take me several months, maybe even a year or so to upload all the new images. I have created a new Bernhard Wenczel/Viktor Suter Collection accessible from the main page of the WLSS.
An honourable mention also goes to John Campbell for his foodplants CD. John provided me with many high quality images of Saturniidae foodplants from his native Georgia. Eventually I hope to have a worldwide foodplant data base linked from the foodplants lists on the individual species files.
The winner of the ballot draw is Larry Valentine.
The winner for Best Article for the year is Alan Marson for "Notes on rearing Giant Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas) in the UK."
All four winners will have their choice of any one of the following five prizes.
1) Peigler's and Naumann's Samia Revision
2) Five rearing sleeves, any combination of standard sizes
3) Cds of both North American Saturniidae and WLSS
4) Free lifetime membership to Caterpillars Too!
5) Kirby Wolfe Saturniidae CD
The 2006 Photography Contest will have two divisions, one for moths, and one for larvae.
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I continue to update the site with images from the CDs of Bernhard Wenczel and Kirby Wolfe.
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I have just added a new article, Hyalophora columbia on Prince Edward Island to the Bill's Articles section. The article features the photography of Darrell Gulin.
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Ulf Drechsel, who has been involved with Saturniidae in Paraguay for twenty-eight years, has just sent me a cd with great images of live moths from that country. I have just posted Arsenura orbignyana and will work on other images in the coming weeks. I suspect there will be images of species not previously depicted on WLSS, and it may take some time to do all the ids.
Updates will be provided in the Mothly Newsletters.
Rothschildia maurus has been added to Paraguay list,
and an image has been posted.
Copaxa flavina has been added to Paraguay list,
and an image has been posted.
Leucanella memusae gardineri has been added to the Paraguay
list and an image has been posted.
Hyperchiria incisa bicolor is depicted for first time on WLSS.
Automeris umbrosa lampei is depicted for the first time on WLSS.
Automeris beckeri has been added to the Paraguay
list and an image has been posted.
Eacles imperialis tucumana has ben added to the Paraguay list
and an image has been posted.
Eubergia caisa, Automeris submacula
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Darrell Gulin emailed me Christmas wishes with an Hyalophora columbia image sent December 22. I have uploaded the image to the 2006 Photo section. The moth is one of three columbia that emerged from cocoons I shipped to Darrell in Ocotber, spun in September 2005. I suspect that Darrell chilled the cocoons and then warmed them as Hyalophora columbia is normally a univoltine species.
Darrell also provides images of an Hyalophora cecropia male treated the same way.
I have also just received a set of four beautiful photographic prints from Darrell.
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A special welcome goes to Leroy Simon who has recently "gone computer". Many of Leroy's slides were scanned by me several years ago, and literally hundreds (probably close to a thousand) of his images grace the WLSS and Caterpillars Too!
Leroy has sent me a fresh group of slides which I hope to scan and upload soon.
Leroy is honoured on the new Larvae Photography page.
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I have just added a "Sighting/Data Sheet" entry to the Bill's Articles section. Some of you might find the printable sheets useful for recording sighting data.
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Victor Siniaev has just sent me images of Actias maenas, Argema mittrei, Saturnia cognata and a bat attacked Actias chapae from Vietnam. Victor also sent an image of an unidentified moth form Kongo. I believe it is a Holocerina species and ahve sent it out to others for identification.
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Robert Westphal has just sent me images (posted) of the recently described Saturnia centralis from Burma.
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Franz and Julian Renner have sent a series of beautiful images of various hybrids from the Saturnia genus. Images have been posted to the hybrid section.
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Rainer Plontke sent me some images and notes on his rearing of Actias dubernardi. I have posted to the members' articles section.
Rainer has also sent some images of moths whose eclosions were induced by ecdysone injections. Images in the 2006 photographer section, to be posted soon.
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Joel Szymszyk sent me beautiful images of a freshly emerged Saturnia (Calosaturnia) walterorum male.
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Andrew Spicer reports the capture of Actias chapae in southeastern China, probably Guangxi Province, and will send an image of a spread specimen once it comes off the board.
A new Chinese species will also be listed after publication.
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Bob Nuell has sent me updates on capture of Hemileuca peigleri from Calhoun County, Texas. This is considerably to the south and east of previous reports. I have added the data to the Texas map page.
Michael van Buskirk has sent me images of egg rings and habitat from the same area. I look forward to seeing Bob's images of spread specimens and images of all larval stages from Michael.
There is potential for this to be a new subspecies, but I suspect the moth has just been under reported to the south and east of its reported habitat.
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Rodolphe Rougerie sent me a paper written in collaboration with Jeremy Bouyer. It features images and information about the newly described Holocerina wensis from Burkina Faso. The paper also provides updates on other Micragonini from Burkina Faso.
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I will shortly update the article on Chromosome Count based on a copy of the R. C. Narang and M. L. Gupta report published in the Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society.
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Carlot Didier has sent me very nice images of the rarely seen Eacles masoni fulvaster from French Guiana. The images (spread: male and female) have been posted to the Eacles masoni fulvaster page.
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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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Rolf Oberprieler and Bob Vuattoux have sent additional foodplant information for Ceranchia apollina.
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Bob Vuattoux also writes, "Actias dubernardi have eaten Picea glauca in my breedings in addition to Pinus sylvestris, Pinus contorta and Larix ssp. All these coniferous trees are equally good (big cocoons on each case)."
Bob makes a special request: "Concerning all the nice photographs on your site, could you speak of the photographic equipment used by photographers?? particulary electronic (numeric) material now ?"
Those of you who are sending images, please specify camera model. Photographs have been exceptional, and many people would like to know which cameras are being used.
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As such requests arrive, I will post them here and hope that someone can provide the information/articles or a reference/sources.
Please respond to oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
"I would like to know in detail how the caterpillar body and limbs move. How does the digestive system work?
"In metamorphosis:
"What happens to the muscles in the pseudopods?
How do the wings develop?
What changes in the neurological system,
especially with regard to sight and smell?
What hormonal mechanisms are responsible for
metamorphosis?"
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"I'm writing to you to ask if you or other Saturniidae specialists can give me all the foodplants known for Actias philippinica. In your website you mention only Fagus sylvatica; I hope it can accept also Quercus; but the winter broods I suppose can eat some other plant. Hope you can help me?"
Anytime anyone has foodplants that are not listed on the WLSS, please pass that information along so others can use it! Generally foodplants are not considered for listing unless adult moths have emerged from the rearing.
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"Do you know if Attacus hybrids can give fertile eggs if paired (I mean pairings hybrid-hybrid or hybrid-parental species)?"
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Sphingidae Express
Arctonotus lucidus was spotted in Butte County in northern California, December 29-30, reported by Patience Hervey.
I received an image of a Xylophanes falco larva from western Texas (Brewster County), courtesy of Terry Doyle. Image was taken by William Lindemann September 21, 2004.
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Dave Wikle writes, "Last Tuesday (27Dec05) I visited the site near Jacumba (San Diego/Imperial Co., Ca.) where I found Hemileuca electra 'nr. mojavensis' 1sts thru 3rds abounding on 26Dec04. This year the fall rains have been scant (normal) and no sign of larvae yet. I did find 4 egg rings (7, 11, 9, 20 ova each) in 20 minutes time, however. "Rings" were all on 2yr old thin weathered seed (sans head) stalks rather than this last year's thick red flower stalks.
"Farther down the track, South of Ajo, Az., I scoured the desert for Eupacardia calleta larvae for the better part of a day and only managed to scrounge up 8 worms. One first , one 3rd, and the rest 2nds. I must have looked at 400 Sapium (Mexican jumping bean) plants and found signs of wormage on only 4 plants.
"Calleta seems to oviposit fairly low to the ground, but 3 out of the four were at the 3'to 4' level. The telltale jagged chew marks on the leaves give them away, but they're still hard to see, as the pattern mimics the shadow cast by the newly forming flower bracts. Good camo, wonder if they planned it that way, since they eat other stuff in SEAz and Tx....
"Finding leaves was the tough part, as most plants are turning red or dropping leaves by this time of the year and chewable stuff only on the N side of the plants. Switching the larvae over to Ligustrum sinense now and they seem to be going at it with gusto, no puking or anything. Ligustrum japonicum (texanum) is more common, and they prefer L. vulgare with its thinner leaves so I'm told but I have a volunteer sinense that was deposited via roosting bird some years back, and it has smaller and more delicate leaves (and apparently tasty ones too.)"
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Catocala Capers
Paul Johnson has sent me some additional data for Contra Costa County, California: C. aholibah, C. ilia zoe, and C. verilliana, identified by Jerry Powell.
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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 Ohio Lycaenidae and Pyrginae maps have just been completed and posted. Only the Hesperiidae remain to be done for Ohio (now done).
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