April 16 to May 15, 2010

Hi All,

Happy Mothers' Day to all mothers! Due to warm spring I expect eggs Saturniidae to be on wing a week to two earlier this year.

It has cooled off considerably since writing the above comments in late April, early May. Temperatures for the last week or two have been slightly below seasonal average, but trees and plants are further ahead because of the earlier weather.

I saw my first butterfly of the new year on May 7 so I took out of cold storage one luna, one polyphemus and one cecropia cocoon as well as all of the ios on May 7.
On May 10 I took out one luna, one polyphemus and one cecropia.
On May 13 I took out two luna, two polyphemus, two columbia and one cecropia.

All of the above are sitting in tubs on the kitchen table. I will move them to outdoor cages in about a week, and I will continue to take out a number of cocoons on a two or three day stagger. I will probably take all the earth pupators out of cold storage on May 16.

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If you wish to send an enquiry or egg order, please be sure to include your complete shipping address in the email text of your message. Please also give me approximate dates as to when you would be ready to begin receiving eggs.

There are some freshly harvested Hemileuca nevadensis egg rings from Nevada available now (April 15) if anyone would like to try this species.

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Visit Egg availability and prices 2010: Non diapausing livestock

Actias luna and Antheraea polyphemus are pairing now April 7-8 in Alabama. If you want eggs of this multi-brooded stock now, please specify species, quantity and be sure to send complete shipping address in your email.

Another luna paring occurred in Alabama and fresh luna eggs are again available as of April 14-16.

Poly and luna pairings were reported on April 19. First cecropia pairing of season reported on April 22, all from Alabama. More poly pairings and wild females taken at lights in Alabama.

Promethea, luna and polyphemus eggs have been shipped from Staten Island, New York, a week or two ahead of "normal".

Columbia eggs have been shipped from Pennsylvania, and I expect cecropia to be shipped from PA May 13-14 to those who are ready for them.

One breeder is going to hybridize cecropia and euryalus. If any of you are interested in hybrid eggs, let me know.

There is a good chance Eumorpha pandorus pupae will be available from Alabama end of May into early June, and Eumorpha pandorus eggs may be available this spring from Wisconsin. Pachysphinx modesta eggs will be available from Wisconsin in June.

Spring luna and polyphemus cocoons are expected late may early June from Alabama from eggs deposited in April. A number of cocoons have already been requested, but there may be enough for some additional orders. Moths will hatch in June from these cocoons.

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Mike Benton is offering dried specimens of Actias sinensis as well as of Hyalophora cecropia. contact Mike at Mike Benton to get on mailing list.

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Leroy Simon has sent me the following image of a fourth instar Leucanella janeira from Brazil. It is the first time a larva of this species has been depicted on WLSS.

Leucanella janeira fourth instar, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

I have also updated individual files of Melanocera menippe male and larva, Africa; Molippa nibasa male (Mexico) and larva (Ecuador);. Molippa rosea male and larva, Mexico; Nudaurelia cytherea male, female and larva, Africa; with images from Leroy's DVD.

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Ptiloscola dargei females are depicted first time on WLSS courtesy of Norm Smith (Belize) and Dan Janzen (Costa Rica).

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Thibaud Decaens has sent this beautiful image of a male Adeloneivaia catoxantha lacrimata that he photographed in Moju, Para, Brazil. It is the first time this species is depicted on WLSS.

Thibaud has also sent beautiful image of a male Syssphinx molina from the same area, and he has sent verso images of male and female Lobobunaea phaedusa reared on Eucalyptus rotundifolia from eggs laid by a female collected at the La Lope National Park, Ogooue-Ivindo, Gabon. He has also sent an image of the fifth instar larva. A male Citioica anthonilis from Gurupi Biological Reserve has also been posted. I have posted all to respective files and also to Thibaud Decaens Saturniidae Collection.

Adeloneivaia catoxantha lacrimata male, Embrapa Forest Reserve, Moju, Para, Brazil,
courtesy of Thibaud Decaens.

Regarding some of the African earth pupators, Thibaud writes, "Larvae of Lobobunaea pupate into the soil. I usually place them on humid humus as soon as they start their dispersion phase (their colour change and they start to walk, looking for a good place to pupate). When larvae enter their pre-nymphal phase, I place them on the surface of a box filled with humid humus until they pupate. Then I periodically humidify the humus, and emergence of adults usually occurs about 1-2 months after pupation (well, that was the case for L. phaedusa and L. goodii)."

Recently Thibaud has sent images of fith instar larvae and adults of Lobobunaea goodii and Lobobunaea acetes.

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Jean-Louis Albert has sent recto and verso images from Franceville, Gabon, of Athletes nyanzae male,

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Dave Rolfe has sent images of spread males and a female of Argema kuhnei from Mbala, Zambia. This is the first time this species has been depicted on WLSS.

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Hideshi Naka of Japan has just sent me these beautiful images of Saturnia Rinaca zuleika from China. It is first time live adult and larva have been depicted on WLSS. Hideshi also reports success on two new foodplants for this species: Quercus acutissima and Swida macrophylla.

Saturnia (Rinaca) zuleika male, China, courtesy of Hideshi Naka.

Saturnia (Rinaca) zuleika sixth instar, China, courtesy of Hideshi Naka.

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Ian Surman writes, "To our complete surprise, natural pairings of the Madgascan Comet Moth (Argema mittrei) have been achieved in the last couple of days in regular sized, popup / hanging cages! Mittrei's reluctance to pair in confined quarters is well documented and we have always resorted to hand-pairing.

It seems that pairings are attainable in small cages with repeated success if the insects are given total darkness and are left undisturbed in peace and quiet during the late evening and early hours of the morning. The report represents the third natural pairing in less than a week. The male has encircled the female's abdomen with all pairs of legs - this position was taken up by all three mating males."

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Paul Smith from Itapua, Paraguay sends images of a live female Heliconisa pagenstecheri. It is first confirmation of this species from Paraguay and is first time live adult of this species is depicted on WLSS.

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Mike Buczkowski confirms presence of Nudaurelia macrothyris in southern Tanazania, with specimens taken in December-January in Mbeya Region and Mtwara Region. Mike also indicates Pseudobunaea callista flies in Imalinyi, Njombe District, Iringa Province, Tanzania. Both are additions to the Tanzania checklists.

Mike also reports Nudaurelia capdevillei from near Kirani, Kenya. I have placed all four locations on respective maps.

Mike has sent images of recto and verso of spread Nudaurelia wahlbergii female from South Africa. First time verso image has been displayed on WLSS.

Also now on display, courtesy of Mike are Arsenura biundulata female recto and verso from southeastern Brazil; Antheraea mexicana male recto and verso (range extension into Oaxaca, Mexico); Antheraea montezuma male recto and verso (range extension into Oaxaca, Mexico); Nudaurelia macrops male recto and verso, Mzuzu, Malawi; Nudaurelia capdevillei male recto and verso, nr Kirani, Central Province, Kenya, 1850m; and Pseudobunaea callista male recto and verso, Imalinyi, Njombe District, Iringa Province, Tanzania.

Most recently Mike has sent Opodiphthera jurriaansei male (recto and verso) from Tanimbar Island (February flight) and ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sphingidae Express

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Arctiidae Art

Kirby Wolfe indicates he will be sending me many electronic images of Arctiidae from Costa Rica. I will shortly begin construction of a worldwide Arctiidae site. Those who wish to contribute images of adults and/or larvae or any other stages are welcome to do so. All images that I use remain the property of respective photographers.

I am working on creating the text files and orgainizing names at this stage. It will probably be after Christmas that I do first posting.

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Catocala Capers

I have now completed pictoral checklists for all states that have Catocala species and will fine tune them over the next couple of weeks.

I am very interested in receiving images of larvae and adult moths with data. I would like to refine the checklists to county level as I am currently doing with Sphingidae.

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Caterpillars Too!, a North American butterfly website:

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A new Coleoptera (Beetles) page is being created.

This page will be resricted to those members of WLSS who have an interest in Coleoptera (Beetles) and who are willing to have their email addresses posted there for correspondence, limited to the Coleoptera family.

This list will not be available through any search engines and will not be linked by me from any of my websites. Instead, those members who register (no charge) will be directed to an unlisted URL.

Members whose names appear on this list have agreed to use the contact information solely for the purpose of furthering their interests in Coleoptera.

Members have also agreed that they will neither post this list/page nor divulge its contents nor share its contents with others.

To have your name and email contact information posted on the Coleoptera page, send email to Bill Oehlke, indicating you agree to terms above.

N.B. This is note a Coleoptera site, just a listing of contact info for WLSS members with an interest in Coleoptera.

Two new names have been added to the Coleoptera page as of January 16, 2009.

There are also quite a few members interested in Sphingidae, so I will post special Sphingidae page under same conditions. I am also considering an African Sphingidae section if there is sufficient interest and those who can supply high quality images.

A Catocala page will also be posted.

If you wish to have your name, location, interests and email posted on the Coleoptera, Sphingidae or Catocala contacts page, please let me know.

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