Hi All,
On June 10, I had a rosy maple, two polyphemus and a cecropia, all males, arrive at rooftop light. All came in after midnight. I had a female polyphemus out in a cage on the balcony so the male polyphemus were probably responding to her calling, but as usual, once they are close, they get distracted by the light.
I subsequently turned off the light, and obtained a polyphemus pairing.
Seeing lots of rosy maples at roof top light, June 16-17, all males so far.
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First brood polyphemus cocoons (a few dozen) are available now (June 12) to hatch in about three or four weeks. Price is $4.00 U.S./cocoon plus $7.00 S & H. These are coming from Alabama so cannot be sent with Wisconsin lunas (below).
First brood Actias luna cocoons from southern Wisconsin are expected late June early July to emerge later in July. Price is $3.60 U.S./cocoon plus $7.00 S & H. Reserve now please.
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June 16: This is an extremely busy time for me. I get many inquiries still about cocoons. Many egg requests come in, but the most tiring work is the work with pairings.
Because I have so many moths to pair and because the birds have come to recognize my home as a great place for a feed of moths, I cannot put my mating cages out until dark and I must get them in before sunrise.
The Hyalophora columbia mate in early morning, just as the sun is rising. I put their cages out around 10:00 pm and set my alarm for 4:30 am. On the 16th of June I had two female columbia out in cages. At 4:50 am the first male flew in. I caught him with my hands and put him inside the cage with one female. He mated promptly.
I sat in a chair and waited to see the next male. I enjoy watching them fly in and there is an open area just around the house and it is quite easy to spot the males against a grey morning sky as they begin to arrive.
I saw the second male fly overhead around 5:15. The sky was considerably brighter than it had been around 4:50. Suddenly a Canada Jay (Canadian equivalent to Blue Jay) darted out into the opening and attacked the moth in flight. The moth's flight seemed to become more erratic and frantic as if it knew it were being pursued. It and the jay disappeared into the upper branches of a red maple. About five seconds later the jay flew across the opening with a columbia in its beak.
I noticed a second Canada Jay near the light sheet on the rooftop and spotted a third in another maple tree. I began to be concerned about any other incoming columbia. I also marveled at what I am sure is an ability to communicate among the birds.
About five minutes later I spotted another male columbia about twenty-five feet overhead. Another jay shot out of the branches and amazed me with its predatory skills. Just as the jay was about to strike the moth in flight, the moth darted upward. Miraculously the bird spread its wings to brake its flight, gave a downward thrust of those outstretched wings and deftly nailed the male columbia. The reaction time was almost unbelievable. I had seen enough and took the remaining female inside, and decided I would put her out in a different area the next morning.
Fortunately there was a good breeze for distributing the pheromone plume the next morning (unlike the almost complete stillness of the previous sunrise). I set the alarm again for 4:30 am, went out to a slightly more sheltered spot and watched two male columbia report again at around 4:45. The jays still hadn't made their appearance. I put one male in with the female and they paired immediately. The other male I captured and froze as a specimen for sale. Upon their separation, I also save/freeze the paired males, usually in A condition.
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It is difficult for me to keep up with website submmissions and questions this time year as I am busy with the above, am dispensing egg orders to subcontractors who are doing a great job, and I am answering questions, helping with ids and am also sewing sleeves and beginning to put out larvae and eggs.
I also am planting a garden and finishing the flight cages for Hemaris thysbe over viburnum and Papilio polyxenes asterius over carrots and Papilio canadensis over small cherry and poplar and birch trees that I transplanted to buckets earlier in the spring.
It is very helpful to me if you consult the species files for hostplant information rather than request it from me at this time. There is a wealth of information in the individual species files, the many excellent articles in the Members's Articles section and in the Bill's Articles section. Many of the questions that are directed to me have their answers already posted in the articles. I will try to help whenever possible, as I very much appreciate all the patience others have extended to me, but it has almost always been my policy to try to find answers to questions in the reference material to which I have access before I make a request for someone else's time. Thanks for your consideration.
Also I sometimes get requests for help with rearing problems. It is very helpful for me to know, if I am going to try to trouble shoot for you, what kind of a rearing set up you have used. For eclosion problems/cocerns it is also helpful to know your location and how you have overwintered your cocoons and what species you have.
Quite a few times I will get an email with nothing more than, "about half my cocoons emerged two weeks ago, but nothing else has emerged since. I think they are dead."
I have to enquire about your overwintering storage techniques and what species you are referring to and why you think the remaining cocoons are dead.
Often I find that the moths that have already emerged are the early spring fliers, and the ones that haven't emerged yet are the heat lovers like io and cynthia.
Sometimes I learn that people have stored cocoons in a deep freezer or have stored some of the more southerly species outdoors in regions with temperatures much lower than they ever would experience in their natural region.
Occasionally some pupae will overwinter for more than one winter. I do not know why, but I have first hand experience with same and have received numerous reliable reports from others (e.g. Taylor Jones just reported the eclosion of a female C. regalis that spent two winters in diapause). You can inpect cocoons by using the gentle shake test. As long as the cocoon seems to have weight and the pupa seems to make a dull thudding sound inside cocoon, you probably have a viable pupa inside the cocoon. An extremely light weight or a dry rattling sound would not be a good sign.
I have also given people instructions for inspecting their own cocoons by carefully slitting open the cocoon. More often than not the responses I get are, the pupa started wiggling like crazy when I started to cut the cocoon or more simply the pupa is still good.
If you do need to ask a question(s), please provide me with a much relevant information as possible after you have done at least a quick search yourself, and I will do my best.
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Scott Smith writes (June 2007) regarding Hyalophora kasloensis, "Crowding, hot humid conditions, or rearing on cut food is near certain death for these from disease in late 5th instar.
"These like being sleeved in low density (4-5 5th instar larva per 6 foot sleeve) on living food plant such as cherry, birch or willow. I've never had much success doing it any other way.
"Many previous buyers stubbornly try other methods only to get a bunch of larva near pupation before they all expire." Scott has also provided a stunning image of a light trapped females. She is the one that provided the eggs some of you have received. Image is on the H. kasloensis page as well as in the photography section.
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Taylor Jones has sent a well-written and interesting article about seeding out larvae. I have posted it to the Members' Articles section.
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Matt Curtis sent me a short note on care of Citheronia regalis eggs in dry environment (Arizona). He writes, "Just a quick note on regalis ova that you might find interesting. I received a couple of dozen ova from your dad in an exchange this summer. I’ve tried to rear these a few times before, but was never successful in getting the ova through. Your dad and I had the same idea, concerning our low humidity, so I placed the ova one or two to a covered container along with a small wad of dampened paper toweling. I opened the lids daily to check on the damp towel and provide fresh air. Well, it seemed to work and I believe I had near 100% success. Now the giant devils are starting to pupate, so I’ll try the old paper in tub trick with them since it sure worked well with the splendens."
Matt will be travelling/collecting in Arizona last week of July to early August and hopes to make available the Arizona species listed at http://www.insectcompany.com/silkmoth/eggform2007Arizona.htm
The E. imperialis pini, H. euryalus, H. kasloensis and S. walterorum listed on that page should not be included/will not be available/have alredy been sent.
All other species are expected.
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Alan Marson has sent a great article, sharing his experiences with rearing Actias dubernardi. I have linked the article and images from the A. dubernardi page, and have also linked the account and images from the Members' Articles section.
Alan has also sent great images of all five instars for Cricula jordani as well as an image of the cocoon. Images of adults to follow when they emerge. Larvae were rearedon Rhododendron.
Alan has also sent images of all instars of Brahmaea certhia from China, andAlan indicates images of larvae and pupae previously depicted on B. certhia page are mosrelikely larvae of B. tancrei from Korea. I have moved those images to the B. tancrei page.
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Anatoli Kulik has sent beautiful images of larvae of Rhodinia newara and Loepa obscuromarginata, posted to the larva photo section.
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Pat Schuler reports a wild male promethea flew in and mated with a caged female on June 11, 2007 in Bedford, Virginia.
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Scott Boutilier writes,
"Here’s some data from the week of June 9-15 for St. Louis county
Minnesota: H. cecropia, A. luna, C. promethea,
A. polyphemus, D. rubicunda."
This is precisely the kind of data in the form I like to receive it. It is a summary with dates, county and state are listed, and species are listed. I add such comments to the state maps pages. This information can be very useful to people who are trying to obtain pairings and want to know "what and when" for the area.
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Bonnie Caruthers reports pairings (with wild males) of A. luna, A. polyphemus and H. cecropia on June 19 in Strafford County, New Hampshire. Those species have been flying there since early June. Wild promethea were also flying there mid June.
Please let me know county, state and dates for any wild Saturniidae you have encountered this season.
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Franz and Julian Renner have sent me images of all five instars of Loepa microocellata and all five instars of Saturnia (Rinaca) sinjaevi, described from China by Ron Brechlin, 2004.
Franz and Julian have also sent all instars of Rhodinia verecunda, Loepa miranda and Saturnia (Caligula) jonasii.
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Dr. Ronald Brechlin has sent me a list of his publications, as well as recto and verso images of Saturnia (Rinaca) sinjaevi.
I think he will be able to help with images and information regarding his recent descriptions.
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Dr. Ronald David Cave has just sent me some images from Honduras for identification and has also sent great data for many of the Departments in Honduras. I will be updating the Honduras pages and the individual species files. Hylesia gamelioides, not previously depicted on WLSS, was among the images sent by Dr. Cave.
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Charles Bordelon has begun to send me great images of spread specimens from his collection. I have begun to post them in the special collections section. Charles has indicated he will send images of the entire collection which contains some species and genders of some species not previously posted on WLSS. The Charles Bordelon/Ed Knudson Collection will only be available from the Username/Password version of the WLSS. Charles will also be providing data which will greatly assist with the more localized checklists I am preparing.
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Ulf Drechsel indicates he will shortly be sending a cd of images of Sphingidae and Saturniidae from Paraguay.
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Martin Jagelka has just sent a stunning imageof an Actias maenas female.
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Michal Pikner has sent many beautiful images from his rearings and I have posted them to photos sections (larvae and adults).
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New member Victor Wu is in contact with Yun Wu of China who offers eggs of many species from Yunnan, China. Dr. Wu writes, "Many female saturniids are on the wing now in Yunnan China. We get different species almost each night.
Actias dubernardi, Actias selene, Antheraea roylei, Caligula anna and Attacus atlas. I think we may be going to get female Actias vivianna, Actias sinensis, Actias heterogyna, Actias angulocaudata, Actias rhodopneuma, Antheraea formosana, Antheraea frithi, Caligula zuleika, Salassa mesosa, Cricula trifenestrata, Attacus edwardsi, Brahmaea spp.etc. in these days.
Rhodinia newara and Rhodinia tenzingyatsoi. They will emerge this November and December.
EXPO’ Eco-Town
Kunming 650224
China
Tel: 0871-5018059
My first name is: YUN, my surname is: WU
I attached price list here.
Best regards,
Dr. Wu
July 3, 2007.
I am in the process of getting an email link. Many of you will probably want to take advantage of the diversity of Chinese Saturniidae livestock being offered.
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Actias selene male x Actias artemis. Robert reports, "Hybrid realized with the participation of Robert Beck, Robert Lemaitre and Robert Zaun.
"We thank Rodolphe Rougerie very warmly for the eggs of Actias artemis and equally Hervé Evin for the Actias selene breeding and cocoons.
"I realised the hybrid outside using an Actias selene male (Robert Zaun) and a female Actias artemis (eggs from Rodolphe Rougerie and breeding from Robert Beck and me for the final instar) and outside using a calling female Actias selene (breeding from Hervé Evin). The laying gave 200 fertile eggs that I have distributed to my friends (Robert Beck, Patrick Guivarch, Hervé Guyot, Reinhold Höge, Oliver Kurz, Alan Marson, Franz Renner, Robert Zaun).
"The breeding took place with no problem on walnut and liquidamber but a big problem appeared on fifth instar where many caterpillars died (recurrent problems all over our 2006 breedings !!!)"
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The info below is more for my own records, but some of you may find it interesting.
Here is a record/plan of the dates that I have taken/will take cocoons and pupae out of storage. Outdoor temps have been relativly cool so it os taking pupae longer to develop than in most years:
May 10: two polyphemus:
female emerged June 9, paired
June 10;
female emerged June 15, paired June 16
May 12: two polyphemus:
female emerged June 16,
paired June 16;
female emerge June 20; paired June 20
May 15: two polyphemus: female emerge June 20,
paired June 20th;
female emerged June 20, did not pair on 20th
eight cecropia: male emerged June 17;
two columbia:
female emerged June 14, paired June 15;
female emerged June 15, paired June 16;
two luna:
female emerged June 16, did not pair 16-19 (cool and wet)
did not start dumping eggs and paired June 20 (surprise to me), other female
unpaired began dumping eggs on 20th;
female emerged June 17, did not pair June 17;
fifteen ios: two males and two females emerged June 20, male emerged June 21, no pairing as yet;
all columbia gloveri:
male gloveri emerged June 9;
female gloveri emerged June 16;
two female gloveri emerged June 17;
female and two male gloveri emerged June 20; one pairing
May 17: four polyphemus: ;
two columbia: two males emerged June 17;
1 luna, 4 cecropia
May 19: four polyphemus, two columbia, 2 luna, 4 cecropia
May 20: large Sphingidae and large Ceratocampinae
May 21: three polyphemus, two columbia, three luna, three cecropia
May 23: two polyphemus, two columbia, three luna, three cecropia
May 25: two columbia, two luna, two cecropia
May 26: small Sphingidae (cerisyi, thysbe) and small Ceratocampinae
(rubricunda and virginiensis) and black swallowtails
(holding these a bit longer; it has been cool; took them out June 5)
May 27: two luna
Had cecropia (2) and luna (1) and polyphemus (2) and io (2) pairings while I was in Malay Falls, Nova Scotia, weekend of June 29-July 1. Had three Eacles imperialis pini pairings week of June 23-28, five polyphemus paired on 27th. Hard to keep track of everything. More ios emerged today and yesterday, July 2-3, and I have a female and a male cecropia out from July 2 (male) and July 3 (female). Thewy should pair tonight. Swallowtails began emerging on June 21 and thysbe June 23. Had another gloveri pairing on 25th and a female emerged July 1 and a male July 2 and another male July 3.
Montreal Insect Show 2007
October 20th-21 2007, from 9 am to 5 pm
College de Maisonneuve, 3800 Sherbrooke East, Montreal
(Located one corner from the Olympic Stadium and the Montreal Insectarium)
Contact Yves-Pascal Dion at info@insect-trade.com
www.insect-trade.com
Yves-Pascal Dion has just sent me a series of Bunaeopsis images from Burkina Faso. Many of the species he has sent are listed by Thierry Bouyer in his 1999 Catalogue of African Saturniidae as "incertae sedis" and Thierry has had a look at the specimens and feels they may all be variations of the same species. Much work needs to be done on the Saturniidae, especially Bunaeopsis from Burkina Faso. None-the-less I have posted images to Bunaeopsis dido, elisa, fenestricula and nigericola files which I will add to the Bunaeopsis genus list as "incertae sedis."
Yves-Pascal also sends images of male and female Lobobunaea phaeax which Thierry equates with Lobobunaea christyi resnoctuae. I will shortly update the Lobobunaea genus file to include all the synonyms listed by Thierry.
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Sphingidae Express
Karl A. Wilson from Broome County, New York, sent me a spreadsheet of his Sphingidae sightings for Broome County.
Dirk Bayer writes (June 11) from southern Alabama, "It was a busy night at the light last night, the ever present hog sphinx along with a white lined, waved, five-spotted, and rustic sphinx, a number of io's and Catacola. That last batch of polyphemus caterpillars is beginning to spin. If you want to handle a few more cocoons I'll have a few dozen or more.
I have taken two female Smerinthus cerisyi at lights as of June 16 (June 9 eggs hatched June 20) and males are common. Two male Sphinx poecila arrived at lights of June 15. One June 17 I saw first Pachysphinx modesta, a male. June 20th still seeing S. cerisyi still common, saw another P. modesta male, and saw first Darapsa choerilus male of season.
Scott Boutilier writes, "Here’s some data from the week of June 9-15 for St. Louis county Minnesota: P. modesta, S. kalmiae, C. undulosa, S. luscitiosa, D. myron, D. pholus, P. myops, S. jamaicensis, S. cerisyi."
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Arctiidae Art
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Catocala Capers
Larry Gall confirms a Catocala neogama larval image recently sent to me by Bill Evans, Tompkins County, New York. He also indicates a tentative id for a Catocala maestosa larval image from Texas. Images have been posted to respective files.
Larry McQueen sent me an image of a Catocala larva he collected in southwestern Oregon. It appeared to be Catocala ilia. I asked him to put it in a jar with some oak leaves and send me image of adult. Larry indicates the larva pupated May 13 and then emerged June 13. Larry Gall confirms the larva and adult as subspecies Catocala ilia zoe. I have posted images to C. ilia zoe page and also to Oregon Catocala page.
Ron Nelson has sent me images of Catocala obscura larvae that he photographed from Gabe Larrabee's rearing.
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Caterpillars Too!, a North American butterfly website:
I saw my first Papilio canadensis this spring on June 11. I received some well rotted manure for the garden, and the male visited the pile to imbibe some moisture and nutrients.
I continue (June 16) to see Spring Azures, Cabbage Whites, a couple of Red Admirals, Sulfurs, and the Canadian Tiger swallowtails are now becoming more common. I have also seen a skipper nectaring on mint blossoms (will have to capture for id, pretty sure Hobomok) and an Erynnis species with brilliant white spots/markings. I will also have to capture this one for id purposes.
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