Hi All,
Congratulations to Alan Marson and Thierry Bouyer.
Alan wins the photography contest for his life history photographs of Rhodinia tensingyatsoi. Over the years Alan has sent many outstanding images from his rearings, with a particular interest in Saturniidae from China.
Thierry wins the "Contributor of the Year" award for his ongoing support with identifications of many African Saturniidae, his images, many of them not previously depicted on WLSS, and most important his extensive checklists for Gabon, Tanzania, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Malawi. The checklists will updoubtedly allow many collectors to update their collections.
Congratulations to Robert Jensen. Robert's oustanding photos have captured first place in both divisions: Actias selene in the adult moth category and Citheronia regalis in the larva category. First runner up for moths was Horst Kach for his beautiful Rhodirphia carminata, and there was a two way tie for first runner up in the larva category: Alan Marson for Caligula thibeta and Leroy Simon for Pseudautomeris lata.
Winners of the random ballot draw are Brett Badeaux and Philippe Ste-Marie.
Winners in each category may select any one of the following prizes:
1) Special livestock package: two cecropia, two polyphemus, two luna and two promethea
2) Five rearing sleeves, any combination of standard sizes
3) Cds of North American Saturniidae, Catocala and Sphingidae of the
Americas
4) Free lifetime membership to Caterpillars Too!
5) Kirby Wolfe Saturniidae CD
*******************************
Don't forget excellent (late) Christmas or anytime gift of Kirby Wolfe Saturniidae cd. Details at http://www.insectnet.com/kirby/
*******************************
I am making good progress on checklists for states, departments, provinces, etc., for South and Central American countries. The Ceratocampinae are finished. Corrections would be greatly appreciated. I am using Lemaire's data and am also making some interpolations, especially for unreported or under reported areas.
The new checklists will include additional maps and in many cases relief maps.
*******************************
Horst Kach has sent very nice images of a live male Arsenura cymonia, a live female Leucanella flammans and a female Dirphia subhorca (live and recto/verso spread) from Ecuador.
Horst has also sent rectro and verso images of the three Paradirphia species found in Ecuador: Paradirphia andicola, Paradirphia geneforti and Paradirphia oblita oblita. Larval images and foodplants have also arrived for Paradirphia geneforti.
I will post them all shortly (now up).
Horst has also sent what I believe are images (recto and verso) of an Automeris orestes male from Cando, Napo Province, Ecuador, as well recto and verso images of male and female Automeris harrisorum from Cando and Hollin, Napo Province, Ecuador.
Images have been posted. Comments/corrections/verifications would be appreciated.
*******************************
David Bygott, who is guiding safaris in Tanzania, writes, December 30, 2006, "I found this in acacia woodlands, Serengeti, Tanzania, last week."
I only know it is one of the Usta species. In his Catalogue of African Saturnidae, Thierry Bouyer writes, "Usta terpsichore was regarded a group of related species by Darge (1994) et Terral & al. (1991). These taxa are listed here under terpsichore, as their status is not confirmed."
I have posted it to the Usta terpsichore grantae file, until I am advised otherwise.
*******************************
Teemu Klemetti has sent images of two species not previously depicted on WLSS: Aurivillius oberthueri from Malawi and Bunaeopsis fervida from the Mbeya Region of southwestern Tanzania.
Thanks goes to Thierry Bouyer for identification of B. fervida and confirmation of A. oberthueri.
*******************************
Sebastian Brandner has sent nice images (recto and verso) of spread specimens of Nuduarelia bouvieri and Nudaurelia oyemensis female from Elone (Sud Province) Cameroon with collecting data.
Confirmations by Thierry Bouyer.
More recently Sebastian has sent recto and verso images of what I think are Goodia falcata female, Orthogonioptilum prox female and one of the Ludia, either an orinoptena subspecies or tessmani. I will ask Thierry for the help with this one.
*******************************
Jiri Zabokrtsky noticed errors on the Epiphora perspicua page. The Alain van Vyve and Sebastian Brandner images (ided by myself as perspicua) are not perspicua, but are mineti. Thierry Bouyer confirms the moths as Epiphora mineti, and indicates that E. styrax is the same as E. mineti.
Jiri also sends a series of E. mythimnia images from South Africa, Zambia and Kenya, showing the variability of this species.
Jiri has sent a series of Saturnia images from China. Stefan Naumann has idenitifed them as Saturnia cognata (three males) and Saturnia pyretorum (one female).
*******************************
Jean-Louis Albert of Franceville, Gabon, has sent recto and verso images with data of a spread Goodia falcata female, a Pseudobunaea cleopatra and an aberrant Imbrasia epimethea.
*******************************
Bonnie Caruthers has sent a closeup of the head of a hairy male Hemileuca lucina. She has also sent a beautiful picture of a fifth instar Hyalophora cecropia larva, fresh out of its old skin.
*******************************
Steve Kohll has sent me an image of a spread male Saturnia winbrechlini from Shaanxi, China. This species was not previously depicted on the WLSS.
Steve has also sent beautiful images of all five instars as well as colour morphs of Eacles masoni fulvaster. Larvae were not previously depicted on WLSS. Steve has had good success rearing them on Eucalyptus gunnii, and he also reports success rearing Eacles penelope on the same host.
*******************************
Salvador Soares has sent a beautiful image of Saturnia pyri larvae. The striking blue tubercles are spectacular, and, as I recall, the hairs emanating from them can give you a bit of a sting.
*******************************
I recently stumbled across three excellent documents in my efforts to create checklists for Central and South American provinces, departments, states, regions, etc.:
An Update Checklist of the Saturniidae of Ecuador: Part I
and
Notes on some Saturniidae from Albania (Caqueta Department) Including New Records for Colombia
and
Polillas Saturnidas de Colombia, 1997, Angela R. Amarillo-S.
I have been using all three documents to update distributions for Ecuador and Colombia.
*******************************
Adam Fleishman has sent very nice images of a fresh Syssphinx hubbardi female, posted in 2007 Photo section.
*******************************
Sphingidae Express
Very nice images of Eumorpha vitis and Manduca rustica have arrived courtesy of Gil Quintanilla (Hidalgo County) extreme southern Texas.
Adam Fleishman has also sent a beautiful image of what is either a Sphinx chersis or a Sphinx asella moth. I am leaning toward the latter and will ask Jean Haxaire and Jim Tuttle for their determinations.
Jean Haxaire has confirmed the moth as Sphinx chersis.
*******************************
Catocala Capers
I received these excerpts in two emails from Craig Vermes, son of Harold J. Vermes:
"My dad passed several years ago, but he would be extremely pleased that his work remained active. He left a huge amount of slides. If I find any of the originals I will let you know. But rest assured that my dad would have been (and I would like to think currently is) very pleased that people are using the result of his pleasure and passion. As far as the family is concerned please feel free."
"I am so glad to see the work of my late dad put to such great use. As a child I helped with many of these photographs, they were all done on our dining room table!"
Craig
I will soon be working on and posting images of many Catocala species from Harold J. Vermes' work.
I also received a notice from Susan Johnston concerning an online report (PDF), which reflects fifty-four Catacola species records in Oklahoma. I am using the report as well as a previous one by John M. Nelson and Peter W. Loy and some sightings by Gary B. Gier as well as my own interpolations to create county by county checklists for Oklahoma Catocala.
County checklists for Oklahoma Catocala have been posted to Oklahoma Catocala.
I hope the pictoral (images not up yet) checklists will generate additional interest.
Sometimes it is hard to keep up with all the Sphingidae sightings; they picked up dramatically when I started posting pictoral checklists.
If any of you are interested in having your names, addresses and emails posted to a webpage of people interested in rearing/selling/trading worldwide Catocala species (eggs, pupae, adult specimens), I will host such a private page and only provide access to those whose names/addresses/emails are on it.
In return, I ask that you send electronic images for display on the internet. If you don't take pictures, that's okay!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Arctiidae Art
If any of you have keen interest in this family and are willing to create the files (you do the layout in html format) for a website on the Arctiidae, I will arrange for webspace to post and will post the images and text that are provided. You get the credit for the site. All images should be credited to the respective photographers.
I will not have time to create the html files, but if you send them to me I will upload them, and then provide the access URL.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Caterpillars Too!, a North American butterfly website. This is also a private membership site, distinct from WLSS. Many WLSS members have also registered for this site.
I am currently working on Idaho.
Rebekah Garris has sent additional images to add to her New Jersey wildflower collection at http://www.huffmantaxidermy.net/oehlke/RebekahGarriswildflowers.htm.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Return to Main Menu
Return to "Mothly Newsletters"