October 16 - November 15, 2011
Hi All,
I have just returned from my annual fall trip to New Jersey (October 21- November 1). My parents and sister Loretta and husband Joe were without power
for three days due to an unusual snow storm whose wet snow collected on foliage. Many trees were damaged from the accumulated weight. Snapped branches
downed power lines and blocked roads. In some cases entire trees came down when winds picked up.
There is certainly much wisdom in being prepared for such occurrrences. My parents and Loretta and Joe had bottled water for drinking and also had long term
storage water for flushing toilets, and there was plenty of non-perishable food items. Having a back up for heating is also a great idea.
I came out on top in the annual pinochle tournament, but both Mom and Dad had their moments of glory and won games.
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I am taking orders for cocoons and pupae and still have a nice inventory of the species listed below.
Please be sure to includes species, quantities, your shipping address and method of payment in any enquiries/requests that you send to me at
Bill Oehlke.
The following species are now available for fall and winter sales, while supplies last, to US and overseas destinations:
Actias luna, $4.50
Antheraea polyphemus, $4.75
Automeris io, $4.50
Callosamia promethea, $4.50
Eacles imperialis, $16.00/pair
Hyalophora cecropia, $6.50
Hyalophora columbia gloveri, $6.50
Samia cynthia are not available at this time, but check in periodically here (Mothly Newsletters), or advise by email that you want them, as they are expected
later in the season, but no guarantees.
Pupae of the following butterfly species are also available:
Papilio (Pterourus) troilus, spicebush swallowtail, $4.25
All parcels to US destinations will be $8.00 for S & H whether you order a single item or fifty items, etc. S & H for overseas orders will depend upon size of order and location.
Do not send payment until your request has been confirmed. When making a request, please be sure to include all of the following:
1) your complete name and shipping address
2) list of species and quantities desired
3) email address in text of message to me
4) specify your planned method of payment:
a) personal check, preferred for all US orders
b) International bank or postal money order in US funds
c) Paypal in US dollars which will include approximate increase in costs by 7% to cover 4% Paypal transaction fee and 3% currency conversion fee.
All orders to US destinations will be shipped either from New Hampshire from November until very early spring
while supplies last.
If you have a surplus of overwintering livestock of North American Saturniidae species that you would be willing to sell to me in bulk at wholesale prices,
please let me know, Bill Oehlke.
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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 $0.79 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.
In Canada this year I only have the following still available:
Antheraea polyphemus at $4.75
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One of my greatest website thrills is to be a small part of shared discoveries, even if the discoveries are just new foodplants. I also enjoy collaborative
efforts and being part of a team. Alan Marson sent me some images of female Automeris species taken in Cerca Pululha, Baja Verapaz, Guatemala,
1656m, August 2011, courtesy of Paul Holt. We were unsure of the determination due to similarity of excreta and tridens. Fortunately Claude Lemaire has contributed a
vast repetoire of data and information, and his indications are that that tridens is a lowland species while excreta is consistently found above 1000m. Alan had to
do some checking with Paul Holt to ascertain the elevation (1656m), and Alan was lucky enough to obtain some ova for rearing. He learned that the larvae will accept
both Rhamnus and Rubus, via experimentation.
Alan successfully reared the subsequent larvae and has provided images of instars 3-6. Recently adults have been emerging, and clearly there are both light and dark
coloured male forms emanating from the same female. It is interesting to note the differences in coloration, proximity differences in relation to distance of pm line
from fw outer margin at intersection with inner margin, and differences in sizes and shape of hindwing eyespots and pupils. Alan had initially noticed differences in
the auxilliary pupils on the female hindwings.
Automeris excreta light male form, Cerca Pululha, Baja Verapaz, Guatemala,
ex ovum, reared on Rhamnus, courtesy of Alan Marson.
Automeris excreta dark male form, Cerca Pululha, Baja Verapaz, Guatemala,
ex ovum, reared on Rhamnus, courtesy of Alan Marson.
Automeris excreta female, Cerca Pululha, Baja Verapaz, Guatemala,
ex ovum, reared on Rhamnus, courtesy of Alan Marson.
Automeris excreta sixth instar, Cerca Pululha, Baja Verapaz, Guatemala,
ex ovum, reared on Rhamnus, courtesy of Alan Marson.
Alan has also sent very nice pictures of live male and female Automeris escalantei ex ova, reared by Alan on Wisteria. Images are posted on the escalantei file.
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Bernhard Wenczel and Viktor Suter have recently sent me many beautiful images of Saturniidae larvae and adults.
Adeloneivaia isara sixth instar, courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel and Viktor Suter.
Among the recent submissions are images of larvae of Lonomia electra, Automeris zozine, Citheronia beledonon, Citheronia lobesis jordani, Brahmaea japonica
and Adeloneivaia isara, and images of live adults of Caio richardsoni, Citheronia lobesis jordani, Citheronia beledonon and Automeris zozine.
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Many thanks to Fernando Cesar Penco who sent me images of a male and a female Gamelia abasia (spread specimens, slightly worn and tattered), documenting
the presence of this species in Salta Province, Argentina. I believe it is the first time Gamelia abasia has been reported from Argentina. I have posted the
images to the abasia file and have updated the Salta and Argentina listings.
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I have recently purchased Moths of Guangdong Nanling National Nature Reserve. It provides some additional information about local Saturniidae, and it will
help me with identifications of Sphingidae from southeastern China.
The book includes many photos of spread specimens from moth families outside of the Sphingidae and Saturniidae.
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Sphingidae Express
I continue to receive many outstanding Sphingidae images and have created many county pictoral checklists for both larvae and adult Sphingidae.
I recently purchased A Guide to the Hawkmoths of the Serra Dos Orgados which will help with identifications of Sphingidae from southeastern Brazil.
I especially like the plates in this book as they provide, in many instances, recto and verso images of both male and female specimens. There is also some commentary on distinguishing
between look-alike species.
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Catocala Capers
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