Hi All,
The sun is getting higher and brighter in sky every day.
Now is the time to order larvae rearing sleeves in preparation for the upcoming season. I only have two big rolls of remay so get your orders in early before I run out. I will be using at least one full roll for my own operation and plan to rear at least a thousand luna this year.
See sleeve making article in Bill's Articles Section if you haven't already done so.
I have posted prices for sleeves and for eggs in livestock for sale section of website. Members will receive special notice if anything, beyond what is listed, becomes available.
http://www.s89032563.onlinehome.us/livestock.htm
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I recently received two shipments of Saturniidae from Leyte, Philippines. I wanted them for photography purposes and not for sale of dried specimens, but source sent me many more than I anticipated so I have scanned some and listed/linked them at
http://www.s89032563.onlinehome.us/Leytesatspecimenseb.htm
Some of the stock is realy nice and prices are good. I have already promised two members first crack at them.
I also still have a few more Antheraea to scan and should have them done and up by this evening.
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I frequently get inquiries about availability of Hyalophora euryalus and Hyalophora gloveri livestock. If some of you from western U.S. would like to rear them, I would advertise them for you via WLSS and post your email address to membership site so all sales of same would go directly through you.
Or if you wish, I would arrange for a bulk purchase by myself at wholesale price ($2.00 below retail) and then market them myself, probably in $6.00-$7.00 retail range. Let me know if you are interested either way.
Membership in WLSS is slightly over 300 with about 50-60 new members each year. I also have an email address book with about two thousand addresses of people, mostly from U.S., who have contacted me about some aspect of butterflies and moths.
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Members are encouraged to write and share Saturniidae articles, poems, art, stories, rearing/collecting experiences/techniques, etc.
I will edit your writing, if needed, to correct spelling/grammar, and then only post after your approval on edited version.
Some of you very much enjoy correspondence and have other hobbies. I have just put two people in contact, thousands of miles apart, who collect fossils.
If you wish to send me a brief autobiographic sketch of outside interests, I will keep that info confidential, but advise you of others with similar interests.
Several silk spinners have been "hooked-up" that way.
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Kirby Wolfe has sent me images of Copaxa herbuloti female and larva, eastern central Peru, cloud forested mountaintops; Lobobunaea angasana male, female and larva, Africa; Molippa latemedia male, female and larva, South America, low altitude, east Andes and Amazon basin; and Rothschildia amoena female and larva, western Peru, semi-arid canyons.
Images have been posted to Kirby Wolfe Collection and to respective individual files.
Lobobunaea angasana male is exceptionally beautiful.
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Just got an email (Feb 14) from Martin Jagelka with images of a female Argema mimosae and male and female Antheraea jana (identified by Ulrich Paukstadt). The jana are extemely beautiful and possibly quite rare. Have a look!
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Teemu Klemetti has sent me an image of a female Saturnia cameronensis from the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia, collected February 2003. Teemu has also sent Actias selene vandenberghi (Malaysia), Saturnia boisduvali (possibly fallax, China) and Saturnia (Caligula) pyretorum cognata (China), all posted to site.
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Rodolphe Rougerie has sent me extensive records for Tanzania based on publications. I have updated the Tanzania checklist to include his documentations and have included his bibliography.
Rodolphe has also provided significant checklists for Burkina Faso, Madagascar and Gabon
Many new species are being described for Africa, and I am glad Philippe Darge is developing references for the African Saturniidae.
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During late January and into February I received several requests for help from non-members. Two polyphemus, one luna, several Arctiidae and one black swallowtail emerged from pupae that were formed in the fall and stored at normal indoor temps.
I remember receiving an email from a gentleman a number of years ago. He had placed about one hundred "OVERWINTERING" Antheraea polyphemus cocoons from his own rearings in a dresser drawer in a spare bedroom in his house. I don't know whether he intended to move the cocoons outdoors or thought they would "keep" until spring.
When he heard a bit of commotion coming from the dresser, midwinter, he carefully opened the drawer expecting to see a mouse feasting on his cocoons.
Apparently February is about the time that northeastern species will eclose at room temp., so keep your stock outdoors, away from potential heat traps (you'd be surprised at how warm an unheated garage becomes on a bright February day) or use the fridge crisper.
Got another one today (cocoon hatched Feb 16) about a polyphemus larva found in August in Castlegar, in southwestern British Columbia, Canada.
Got another one today (cocoon hatched Feb 23) about a luna from Virginia.
Got another one today from Charles County, Maryland. Polyphemus cocoon found in fall on birch tree was brought indoors. Female emerged Feb 29, 2004. Several more cocoons reported out doors on birch tree.
March 1, I received a phone call from Perry, Missouri. A female polyphemus emerged indoors from a found larva that cocooned and was stored indoors.
I have never had so many reports of found larvae/cocoons emerging out of season due to indoor storage at room temperature. It seems fair to say that fall formed luna and polyphemus pupae, that would normally diapause and emerge in spring, will emerge late January to early March if kept at normal room temperature.
I remember Dr. Karl Ernst Kaissling telling me that diapausing polyphemus cocoons subjected to a cold spell of approximately one month will emerge in about 25 days at 75 F.
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On another note, the wild polyphemus reported from Florida on January 30, produced eggs that hatched February 11-12.
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Anthony Darby has sent me beautiful images of second instar Coscinocera hercules larvae, February 16. I have posted them to that file. Anthony seeks correspondence with others who have livestock of that species. Contact him at anthony@darby.eclipse.co.uk
Third instar larvae from February 23 are also now up.
Fourth instar larva from February 29 is also up.
Fifth instar from March 10 is also up.
Third and fourth instar Periphoba arcaei have also just been uploaded.
Second instar Rothschildia orizaba orizaba has also been added.
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Beautiful female Paradirphia tarapoto, courtesy of Thibaud Decaens posted February 17.
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Beautiful female Rothschildia zacateca, courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel as well as Automeris metzli and Automeris janus now up.
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Mario Ioppolo referred me to a new classification on Tony Pittaway's pages, and Tony gave me permission to use his images of Saturnia pavoniella; now up.
Mario has also sent me some very nice images of Citheronia guayaquila larvae (not previously depicted), now up.
Mario, from Italy, is also the owner of a website forum that should be of use to many of you for lepidoptera exchanges/sales. Visit http://www.ecosicilia.net/forum/
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Reinhart Roehrig sent me nice images of spread male and female Saturnia atlantica reared by his uncle in 50s-60s. Images up. He also sent me an image indicating B. alcinoe flies in Madagascar.
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Non-member John Masterson sent me a series of very interesting Hyalophora images. He is from southwestern South Dakota and may be in an area where there is a mix of Hyalophora cecropia, Hyalophora columbia gloveri and Hyalophora columbia columbia. Have a look at http://www.s89032563.onlinehome.us/jmhybrids.htm
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Tom Binter has sent me some beautiful images of spread specimens from Brazil. I have posted, in respective files, what I believe are Adeloneivaia acuta, Hylesia scortina, Pseudodirphia agis inflexa, and Automeris godarti.
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Russell Witkop reports: "Just a update on Hemileuca tricolor: Collected on March 7 and 8; 3:00am still flying. Freshly emerged in Sells, (Pima County) Arizona on highway 86.
"Collected Hemileuca electra clio larvae 2/3 instar in Arizona near Payson (Gila County) 3/6/04."
Hemileuca electra electra larvae were sighted end of February - early March in San Diego County, California. Saturnia walterorum are also flying in March in San Diego County.
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I am updating the Photography 2004 file, and will soon add some additional files to 2003 photography file in preparation for a vote in April on ten finalist photos.
Check out the beautiful images.
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Alain Van Vyve has just sent me some nice images of spread specimens.
Five species are new to the WLSS:
Cirina butyrospermi
Holocerina rhodesiensis *
Hylesia rufex
Lonomia achelous diabolus; larvae can be deadly!
Pseudobunaea meloui *
I find the starred specimens especially beautiful! Check them out in respective files.
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Check out Meredith McDowell's Sat Hat in the Fun Items Section! I still have some images of others to put up.
http://www.s89032563.onlinehome.us/sathat1.htm
**********COLLECTOR'S CORNER:*********
Many thanks to Clive Pratt of the Insect Company which hosts our site. The Insect Company is a supplier of fine quality specimens to collectors, etc.
Clive is currently based in England and will probably begin offering livestock in the near future. Yeah!
Visit Clive's Site, The Insect Company, at
for an extensive selection of dried specimens.
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Please have a look at Members' Wish List every so often as you might be able to make someone's day!
*********SPECIAL REQUESTS*********
Save your empty cocoons for Carol Neeves. She works with the silk and would like all the empties you can send her. Carol has just set me a write up with pictures to show what she does with the silk (now posted in Members' Articles section).
Neeves, Carol, 1609 Ponderosa Drive, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57103
Janet Hightower is also looking for empty cocoons. She is doing a project on making rattles out of cocoons, and promises us some images and an article after she makes some noisemakers.
Janet Hightower, 1319 Ahlrich Avenue, Encinitas, California 92024 janet@scripps.edu
North American Saturniidae cd available to members only at $15.00 U.S. which includes postage. State by state listings, pooled images for each species. Saves you airtime if that is an issue. Please note, this IS NOT the cd of the World's Largest Saturniidae Site which I expect to have ready at $15.00 in August 2004.
Contract agreement is that copies of North American Saturniidae cd will not be distributed or copied for sale or redistribution by recipients.
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