Citheronia regalis male x Citheronia sepulcralis female hatchling,
May 17, 2014, courtesy of Leroy Simon.
Hi All,
Happy Fathers' Day, June 15, to all you daddies.
May 16: It has been beautiful here on Prince Edward Island the last few days, almost full sun and shirtsleeve temperatures. I still have not seen the first cabbage white butterfly of the season, but I think I will start taking cocoons out of cold storage tomorrow. I did see a questionmark butterfly today, May 16, while I was setting out strawberry plants in the garden.
May 19: NJ: 2 pol; 2 cec; all io; one small cecropia eclosed June 7, a surprise
May 21: NJ: 2 pol; 2 cec; 6 lun
May 21: PE: 2 pol; 2 cec; 3 col; 6 lun; 1 vir
May 23: NJ: 2 pol; 2 cec; 6 lun
May 23: PE: 2 pol; 2 cec; 4 lun
May 25: NJ: 1 pol; 2 lun
May 25: PE: 2 pol: 2 Lun; 1 cec
I put up collecting light (175 clear mv bulb, June 9) on my roof, and made rounds of local establishments with lights. Found small male cecropia
and small male polyphemus near pavement on north side of Superstore June 9. I will be setting up a second collecting light in Elliotvale about 12 miles from
Montague on Wednesday, June 11. I captured a female cecropia June 12 on pavement behind Access PEI, Montague, June 12. She appears to have deposited most of her
eggs, but may still have some left. I captured a female cecropia on rooftop light June 13 as well as a male modesta. I collected a female modesta at Access PEI on 13th
We are having some nice weather.
Earlier this week one of the breeders who supplies me with luna and polyphemus cocoons, near Albany, New York, alerted me that she still had some nice luna cocoons in cold storage. I advised some of the members who had inquired about lunas and quickly sold 61 of the 68 available cocoons. There are seven left at 5.50 US/cocoon if anyone is interested. Four left as of 10:51 am, May 17; all New York luna sold out. There would be one shipping and handling fee of $9.00.
I was also alerted on May 14 that another breeder in Texas, who has had pairings of quite a few species in March-April, expects to have luna cocoons available for shipping around May 23. He also expects to have polyphemus and forbesi cocoons just a few days after that. Cecropia and calleta should be spinning up in another two weeks. The luna are expected to emerge 2-4 weeks after spinup; the polyphemus are expected to emerge 3-4 weeks after spinup, but some may, surprisingly overinter or estivate until later in summer. Both the forbesi and calleta are not expected to emerge until fall, but, based on last year's spring brood results, a few of them emerged in June. The cecropia will not emerge until spring/summer of 2015. Additional batches (two batches more) luna cocoons are expected to be harvested about two weeks and four weeks after the first batch. let me know if you are interested. Lunas will be $5.00; polyphemus $4.50 (expecting a good crop, probably lowest price they will be offered at this year); forbesi and calleta both at $5.75 (prices somewhat reduced based on what looks like a very good crop), and cecropia at 6.50. Shipping and handling would be at $9.00 for each box that has to be shipped.
If you just want lunas, they would come from the first batch; if you want just luna and polyphemus, they could probably be shipped together as soon as the polyphemus are ready; if you want a mix of all five species they could probably be shipped when the second batch of lunas are ready.
Most of the above mentioned cocoons will be ready for shipping Monday, May 26 as they started spinning earlier than expected.
Alabama lunas are ready for shipping as of June 10.
If you are interested in shipping eggs for me, please send me an email indicating which North American species you expect to have available and please also indicate
the months when you think you will have them available.
The following notes are for me so I can have a better idea of when eggs will be available each year. 2014 is showing a later spring than usual, especially in the
eastern half of continent.
Actias luna: March 31 TX; April 2 AL; April 23-27 AL; May 3, TX; June 4-6, 11 CT; 12 WI I hope to update the list throughout the season.
Now is the time to begin ordering eggs. Please visit 2014 Eggs Prices and Ordering Instructions.
Please be sure to send me your complete shipping address when sending a request for eggs or cocoons.
Antheraea polyphemus; April 4, Oregon; May 1, NC; May 4 AL; May 22 AL; May 30 WI; Jun 4-6 CT, WI; Jun 9 WI; 13 CT
Automeris io: May 30 AL
Calosamia angulifera: June 9, MD
Callosamia promethea: May 30 (same female paired twice): CT; Jun 5-6 CT; Jun 9 WI
Eupackardia calleta: March 31, April 2, TX;
Hyalophora cecropia: AL: April 25; NC, May 1, 5; May 27 PA; May 29 WI; Jun 5-6 OH; Jun 5-6 WI; June 6 CT; Jun 9 WI; Jun 13 MD
Rothschildia lebeau forbesi: Texas, March 31, April 2
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Jurgen VanHoudt continues to send many outstanding images of live moths or larvae from his rearings. I have recently added to respective files or links from respective files, the following images:
Antheraea polyphemus male, female, and instars 1, 2, 4 and 5 from Hampton Beach, Viringia; Bunaea alcinoe female; Saturnia (Rinaca) japonica male from Japan; Saturnia (Eriogyna) pyretorum female from Taiwan; Antheraea jana male, Bojonegero, East Java;
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Dirk Bayer in Alabama sent me a digital image of a male regalis pairing with a female sepulcralis, posted in last months' newsletter. Dirk sent some of the eggs to Leroy Simon, and today Leroy sends me the following image of eggs and hatchling.
Citheronia regalis male x Citheronia sepulcralis female hatchling,
May 17, 2014, courtesy of Leroy Simon.
Leroy observes and writes, "There was a difference in the amount of black amoung 1st instars."
Citheronia regalis male x Citheronia sepulcralis first instar,
May 19, 2014, courtesy of Leroy Simon.
Citheronia regalis male x Citheronia sepulcralis first instar,
May 19, 2014, courtesy of Leroy Simon.
Citheronia regalis male x Citheronia sepulcralis third instar,
May 24, 2014, courtesy of Leroy Simon.
Citheronia regalis male x Citheronia sepulcralis third instar,
May 26, 2014, courtesy of Leroy Simon.
While updating the Eau County, Wisconsin, page for some recent Sphingidae sightings from Ian Miller, I rediscoverd this image of an "unusual" female Antheraea polyphemus that Ian had sent last year.
Antheraea polyphemus, BWCA, Cook County, Minnesota,
July 8, 2013, courtesy of Ian Miller.
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Alex Baranowski is having good success with larvae from eggs from Texas.
Eupackardia calleta fifth instar on privet, eggs from Texas,
courtesy of Alex Baranowski.
Eupackardia calleta fifth instar on privet, eggs from Texas,
courtesy of Alex Baranowski.
Alex has also supplied beautiful images of third and fourth instar calleta which I have posted on the calleta file.
Samia cynthia first instar larvae on forsythia, courtesy of Alex Baranowsky.
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Matthew Campbell reported the following with some of his calleta larvae: "I noticed the other day that my larger calleta larvae extrude a clear substance through their tubercles. It has a very strong scent.
"I thought initially the moisture was from spraying, but found it repeatedly forms during food changes when I'm cutting limbs. I noticed that there is no mention of this on WLSS.
"Attached picture has it just on one tubercle (looks like tiny raindrop on dorsal scoli on segment above leaf node). Usually it's extruded on two sets near the head."
Eupackardia calleta fifth instar with exudate,
courtesy of Matthew Campbell.
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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
I am beginning to get Sphingidae images from Panama and some of the more southern states.
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Dr Mark A. O'Neill
39 Delaval Terrace
Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 4RT
United Kingdom
Dr Mark A. O'Neill writes, "I am trying to get hold of ova (or larvae) of the Tersa Sphinx (Xylophanes tersa) and/or related species (e.g. X. pluto, X. falco, X chiron, etc.) in order to rear them through and compare them to closely related SE Asian and African species (in genera like Hippotion, Theretra, Pergesa etc.). "Do you know anyone who light traps, and would be able to get me some ova from a gravid female of one of these species? I find it very easy to get live material in genera like Manduca, Sphinx and Hyles but almost impossible to source Xylophanes sp. (the only time I have got them is when I have collected them myself in the Florida Keys and also Costa Rica)."
Contact mark by email if any of you would like to try to work with him. It might be difficult to ship eggs to United Kingdom, but Mark may be able to give you suggestions as to successfully ship larvae. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jennifer Rush sends the following image which she identified as Erinnyis alope. I think she is correct, but I cannot rule out E. ello. The host plant, frangipani, would be a new one for either species.
Erinnyis alope fifth instar on frangipani, Broward County, Florida,
May 24, 2014, courtesy of Jennifer Rush.
Eumorpha translineatus male, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Adhemarius dentoni male, Caranovi, Nor Yungas, Bolivia; Erinnyis domingonis ??, Brazil and
French Guiana; Enyo gorgon male and female, La Union del Toachi, Pichincha, Ecuador; Enyo bathus male and female, Oxapampa, Pasco, Peru;
Morcocytius mortuorum, Satipo, Junin, Peru; Pseudococytius beelzebuth female, Caranavi, Nor Yungas, La Paz, Bolivia;
Callionima denticulata female, La Union del Toachi, Pichincha, Ecuador; Adhemarius gagarini female, Sao Paulo, Brazil;
Adhemarius fulvescens males, Tapanti, Cartago, Costa Rica, (first time depicted on Sphingidae of the Americas website);
Agrius cingulata female, La Union del Toachi, Pichincha, Ecuador; Amphimoea walkeri male, Quebrado Pelejo, Huallaga, San Martin, Peru;
Amphonyx duponchel male and female, Rio Hollin, Tena, Napo, Ecuador; La Union del Toachi, Pichincha, Ecuador;
Amphimoea walkeri male, Quebrado Pelejo, Huallago, San Martin, Peru; Manduca neglecta, Satipo, Peru;
Xylophanes xylobotes, Brazil; Xylophanes ceratomioides, Brazil; Xylophanes undata male and female, Ecuador and Peru;
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Catocala Capers
Rosemary Seidler sends this beautiful image of Catocala connubialis.
Catocala connubialis, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana,
May 20, 2014, courtesy of Rosemary Seidler.
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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 $1.15 (2014 rate) 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 and 1&1, 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 (She has now completed her B.A. (two years ago) and B. Ed. (this spring) and is certified to teach)
and has been working full time as of October-November with contract until end of school term in June.
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 $1.15 postage (2014 rate). 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 other WLSS 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 information on WLSS, and I try to accomodate when appropriate or within my ability to do so.