December 16, 2019 to March 15, 2020

Hi All,

I am typing and posting this on February 25, 2020.

Winter has been hectic here with some home renovations, lots of snow removal, many requests for id assistance, procurement of additional cocoons, filling orders and, most recently, dealing with a bout of the flu.

I have been bogged down with trying to create a useful Comparison Table for the Dysdaemonia species. Four new species names were put forth and a neotype for Dysdaemonia boreas (French Guiana) was designated by Ron Brechlin, 2019. I have been scouring the internet to see if I could find examples of the newly named species based on location. I wanted to see more specimens to see if I could determine any consistent characters that might be useful for identifications.

I have come to the conclusion, that the most useful tool for identification purpose is location, and that will not be of much use for any specimens from areas even slightly different from the type locations. At any rate, I am going to try by this evening, February 25, to have the Dysdaemonia chart completed and posted.

I have also started woring on a Comparison Table for Kentroleuca species. Two new names were put forward by Brechlin 2019. This is progressing more smoothly and I think will be of use, but one of the new species, Kentroleuca vanschaycki has the same HT location as Kenroleuca novaholandensis and the two species are also quite similar.

I have received the three 2019 Entomo-Satsphingia journals that cover Saturniidae. Lots of new names put forward, but, before I embark on creating any new Comparison Tables, I am going to create individual secies flies.

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As of this date, February 25, 2020, we still can ship the following items: two io cocoons at $5.50/cocoon; good numbers of very nice Hyalophora cecropia cocoons at $6.50, and four pairs of Hemileuca nuttalli at $11.00/pair, all of which could be shipped from Maine for one shipping fee of $9.00.

We also still have a good number of very nice cecropia which could be direct shipped from Pennsylvania at 6.50 + 9.00 S & H. We have a number of unsexed H. nuttalli which could be direct shipped from Colorado at $4.50 per pupa plus $9.00 S & H.

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I have only just recently designated Steve Ife's submission of Lobobunaea acetes male and Andrew Spicer's image of Epiphora ploetzi larva as Photos of the year, 2019. Many thank to all who have been submitting images. There are many more beautiful images (2019-2020) which I have received which have not yet been posted.


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