Hi All,
I became a first time grandfather April 26 near midnight (baby and parents doing fine), and saw my first P.E.I. butterfly of the season, a Milbert's Tortoiseshell, the following afternoon.
We had snow flurries May 13.
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Thierry Bouyer has sent me several corrections for African Saturniidae. I have posted comments or made changes to Athletes nyanzae, Athletes ethra, Nuduarelia anthinoides, Nuduarelia amathusia, Usta angulata, Othogonioptilum piersoni, Lobobunaea rosea, Nudaurelia ungemachti, Nudaurelia orientalis, Nudaurelia krucki, Nudaurelia macrops, Imbrasia obscura, Imbrasia epimethea, Epiphora boolana, Epiphora rectifascia, Lobobunaea niepelti, Parusta xanthops, Gonimbrasia alcestris godarti, Goodia obscuripennis, Orthogonioptilum falcatissimum, Gynanisa hecqui, Eudaemonia argus, Ubaena granti, Ubaena sabunii and Eudaemonia troglophylla
If you have previously submitted images of the above species, you should check out the corrections/comments.
Be sure also to see Gynanisa minettii, jama and westwoodi.
Quite a few additions to the Pseudobunaea section and a few to the Epiphora section!
From the Eric van Scayck collection, Thierry has also identified Ludia tessmani, Ludia orinoptera, Micragone joiceyi, M. ducorpsi (or neonubifera), Goodia falcata, Goodia nubilata, Holocerina micropteryx, Micragone lichenodes. Many of these were not previously depicted on WLSS.
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I have also started to do more identifications on some of Eric's unidentified from South America: Automeris annulata male, Automeris innoxia male, Automeris midea male,
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Many people have started reporting pairings with wild males. I have noted those of new county recordings:
Non-member Emily Erfani, Edenton, Chowan County, North Carolina, luna, May 1
Member Taylor Jones, Staten Island, Richland County, New York, luna, May 5, 48F
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Dr. Stefan Naumann has recently helped with a Loepa damartis Gansu, China, (Eric van Schayck image) id and range extension (data and image uploaded). Stefan indicates he will shortly be sending images of Loepa meyi. Now up.
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My father, Don Oehlke, sent me his pricelist for eggs for spring/summer 2005. All payments for orders must be sent directly to him with correspondence by email only.
He writes, "Here is our current price list for ova: Please reserve now! No discounts! First dozen of each species $12.00 Post and pack included. If you want an extra dozen of the species you are ordering, please use table below: (Canada and Europe first dozen $13.00 each species. For additional dozen, use table below.)
Citheronia regalis each additional dozen ---------- $8.00
Automeris io each additional dozen ---------- 5.00
Antheraea polyphemus each additional dozen --------------- 5.00
Callosamia angulifera each additional dozen --------------- 7.00
Actias luna each additional dozen --------------- 5.00
Callosamia promethea each additional dozen --------------- 5.00
Samia cynthia each additional dozen --------------- 5.00
Hyalophora cecropia each additional dozen ----------------5.00
We will e-mail when we ship, Please keep in mind, OVA wont last long in a hot mail box! Your tel# will help along with mailing addr. Each Pack of ova will be shipped on the day the eggs are deposited.
YOU MUST RESERVE BY EMAIL. ALL orders must be pre-paid in US dollars, (No pay pal) We will confirm your order when payment is received. International money orders accepted. Please remit to:
Don Oehlke
34 McCann Mill Road
Pottersville, NJ 07979 U.S.
Email: gamster28@hotmail.com
Personal check, money order or cash in US funds. ORDER NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!"
He is in New Jersey so some stock will double brood and eggs will be available at times different (some earlier than, some later than) from my own selection of eggs.
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My (Bill Oehlke's) egg prices for 2005 are posted
at
http://www.s89032563.onlinehome.us/livestock.htm
There are some differences.
May 10, two Antheraea polyphemus
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Alan Vosefski is currently (May 15) offering cecropia ova offered @ $30.00 per 3doz for U.S. destinations only.
Alan Vosefski
3320 Old Kirkwood DR
Virginia beach, VA 23452
Telephone: (757)498-3168
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The following notice/request came to me from non-member Michael Edwards. Some of you may be interested.
"PHOTOGRAPHS WANTED FOR NEW INSECTS CALENDAR: Would you like to see one of your insect photographs in a brand new Calendar? If you have any good, clear, dramatic photos of insects, I should like to see them. Please send ONLY evaluation-sized jpegs (upto 100 kilobytes) with a maximum of 4 photos per email or larger files on floppy disc or cd. PRINTS no larger than "5 x 7" are also of interest. Mainly upright shape pictures are required, though 4 landscape shape insect images will be pictured on the cover. As well as full length shots, macro photos showing ultra close-ups of perhaps the head of a subject, will also be of interest.
"All types of insects will be included, from bees, flies, & wasps. to dragonflies, butterflies & moths; the more colourful the better. Countryside or habitat shots are NOT required. Seventeen photographs will be included altogether and all photos must have the full common and Latin name where appropriate, attached to each photos and the sender's name and address where appropriate. All photos MUST be the work of the photographer and by submitting them, gives permission for them to be reproduced in this new calendar. I regret that discs and prints can not be returned. My deadline for receipt of photographs to make the final edit is June 20th 2005.
"I shall include in a later newsletter, the names of those whose pictures have been successful. Those who have their photos included will be able to purchase a copy of the calendar at a reduced rate. Usual price around $9. The name of the photographer will be printed above each monthly photo with the cover photos being named on the inside back page.
"This 2006 calendar, will be an A5 Desk Calendar with a glossy cover, with the inside pages printed on a special glare-free media which enables the comb-bound pages to be viewed at whatever angle you choose to display them and under whatever lighting conditions, without the images being degraded by reflection. Only 200 copies of this unique, hand-made calendar will be made.
"If you think you have anything suitable, please forward to: Michael Edwards, 276 Liverpool Road, Longton, Preston PR4 5YB Lancashire, ENGLAND. photojourn@ukonline.co.uk
The calendar will go on sale July/August 2005"
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Alan Marson writes, "I've appended some photos of 1st & 2nd instar larvae of Loepa obscuromarginata from China. They are feeding on Parthenocissus tricuspidata, what we call "Boston Ivy" in the UK. They refused Cissus and my Grape Vine is not yet in leaf. 3rd instar pics to come! now up as well as fourth!
I notice that some contributors are referring to Parthenocissus as "Woodbine". In the UK "Woodbine" is a common name for wild Honeysuckle (Lonicera). The best Parthenocissus for feeding larvae here is P cinquefolia which is commonly referred to in the UK as "Virginia Creeper".
I have posted instars 1-3 in the Loepa obscuromarginata file. Fourth and fifth instars also now up.
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I was just going back through some of my email files and came across a beautiful image of a Graellsia isabellae male from April 2004, courtesy of Anthony Darby. It is now posted in the 2005 Photography section as I somehow missed it in 2004.
Anthony also sent me a report of great success rearing Callosamia promethea on sweetgum.
Who knows what other treasures I will find!
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Dr. Richard Peigler has provided some information regarding Saturniidae chromosome count for an article I have posted to the Bill's Articles section.
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Bob Nuelle and Robert Nuelle sent me several images of Automeris io showing the dark colouring of the texana "form". I have posted images to Automeris io texana file. This moth is considered synonymous with A. i. io.
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Martin Jagelka has just returned from Cameroon, Africa,and sent me some images of live Saturniidae. I have posted Psuedobunaea alinda and Imbrasia epimethea thus far. More to follow.
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Mary Hallett sent em an early 1980's image of Callosamia promethea pairing in Rock County, Wisconsin. The female was hanging from a cocoon on a lilac bush.
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Robert Lemaitre has sent me nice images (posted in photo section)
of larvae in various stages:
Bunaea alcinoe, Togo, on ligustrum, privet;
Caligula thibeta, first stage, China, ligustrum, privet;
Eacles penelope, French Guiana, ligustrum, privet;
Rothschildia aurota, French Guiana, ligustrum, privet;
Dirphia fraterna, first stage, French Guiana, Crataegus
oxyacantha, common-hawthorn ,Cerasus lusitanica, cherry-bay,
Portugal-laurel
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Salvador Soares has sent me some very nice images of Actias selene and Actias luna larvae. Images up in photo section.
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Bruce Passarelli sent me beautiful image of hybrid columbia x euryalus, up in hybrid section and photography section.
Bruce also sent me an image of a male Samia cynthia pairing with a female Callosamia promethea. Image in hybrid section and in Chromosome Count article. The eggs, (only a small number deposited), did not hatch, and the female died prematurely, possibly due to a rupture during pairing.
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Good luck to Russell Witkop as he rears larvae from H. cecropia male x H. euryalus female. (pairing image posted to photo section)
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Steve Huffman sent me a stunning image of a hybrid female from a Hyalophora gloveri male x a Hyalophora cecropia female. The image is posted in the Photography section and in the Hybrid section.
Steve is working with some aditional Hyalophora hybrids and should be able to send additional interesting hybrid images in the future. I have posted a second generation (gloveri x cecropia) male x cecropia female hybrid to the hybrid section.
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Pam Sharp sent me a "Kaleidoscope Art" picture she did of a Samia cynthia moth in Members' Sidelines section.
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Membership: To make the WLSS more secure, I will probably soon be converting to a login/password system for access to WLSS. Members will be advised when this goes into effect so that login and passwords can be assigned/selected/recorded. There are currently over 400 members worldwide and over 100 of them have been given gift memberships by myself for their major contributions of images and information. I have no problem extending the complimentary memberships to advanced Saturnidae/Sphingidae enthusiasts who wish to help develop the site with images and information (identification help, foodplants, flight times, distribution data). If you know of anyone who might wish to contribute in this manner, please have them contact me so they can be included when the login/password goes into effect.
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Hostplant images wanted. I am looking for high quality electronic images of Saturniidae host plant foliage. I will begin to create files with foodplant images, linked from the scientific names of the host plants on the various species files.
This will also be done for the butterflies on Caterpillars Too!
John Campbell of Georgia has offered to help with this project so soon many of the host plant names will be linked to id/picture pages.
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Sphingidae Express
Alan Marson sent a very nice image of a male Sphecodina abbottii.
Beautiful image of Eumorpha pandorus recently arrived from Houston, Texas area, courtesy of non-members Gil and Larry Nelson.
Please keep me in mind for Sphingidae sightings this summer as I wish to create county by county distribution maps. I am also looking to add new data to the U.S. Saturniidae distribution maps. New members in particular are asked to visit the state by state county maps and provide updates.
Bob Nuelle, Jr. and Robert Nuelle, III have provided a nice image (posted) of Dolbogene hartwegii, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, from evening of August 7, 2004.
I've also posted their images of Sphinx dollii and Sphinx chersis.
I have posted Lynn Monroe's Euproserpinus phaeton live adult and larva images to that file.
The Hyles calida (Hawaii) file has been posted with image of adult and larva.
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At the request of some members I am posting a "BAD TRADERS" report. It can be accessed from the main page of the WLSS.
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Please check the Members' Wish list periodically and help when you can.
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Catocala Capers
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I have been steadily pecking away at checklists for states of Mexico, but it will probably be several months before I have all the Hemileucinae completed.
If you wish to help or want to watch development, the states' checklists can be accessed from the Mexico file.
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I'm making steady progress on Caterpillars Too!, a North American butterfly website featuring caterpillars as well as the adult butterflies. I will add as many hostplant images to this site as I can find.
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