September 16 - October 15, 2011

Hi All,

I have just (October 2) sent out email notices to Canadian WLSS members notifying them that all I have available for sale within Canada this fall are Actias luna, Antheraea polyphemus, Anisota virginiensis, and Paonias excaecata. We had a very cold wet summer, and that may have been the cause of a dismal year for cecropia and columbia.

I expect a much wider selection to be available in US and for overseas shipping, and hope to assemble a pricelist very soon. In some cases, however, larvae are still feeding, or supplier may have to wait to see if pupae are going to emerge yet this fall or overwinter. I will probably start sending out email notices on Monday or Tuesday, October 3, 4, notifying US and overseas members of what has been promised and what is expected. Do not send payment until after I confirm your order.

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.

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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
Citheronia regalis, $24.00/trio, will either be two males and one female or visa versa, depending upon assessment of gender
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) glaucus, eastern tiger swallowtail, $4.25
Papilio polyxenes asterias, black swallowtail, $4.50
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 form New Jersey in late October, or 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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Samia cynthia x Samia canningi adult male by Katelyn Mayo, via Rob Mayo.

Rob writes, "I wanted to include this photo also taken by Katelyn, of an aberrant S. cynthia x S. canningi (hybrid male).

"It's a male hybid of a natural pairing I obtained with a S. cynthia (U.S.A.) male x S. canningi (Thailand) female. Fertility was extremely high and larvae were reared on A. altissima. I will send pictures of the atypical looking hybrid. In general they all look more towards the female parent."

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I have just received images of fifth instar Copaxa garciorum from Uwe Kauz. Larvae have been reared on Salix alba. Hope that Uwe is able to get eclosions and send images of adult moths. This is first time larvae of this species have been depicted on WLSS. Foodplant is also a first.

Copaxa garciorum, reared on Salix alba, Mexico,
courtesy of Uwe Kauz, via eggs from Franz Ziereis.

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To my knowledge the following is a first time report for Hylesia scortina in Argentina.

Hylesia scortina male, Yacutinga Private Reserve, Misiones, Argentina,
September 11, 2010, courtesy of Ezequiel Osvaldo Nunez Bustos.

For the first time on WLSS a live female Hylesia nigricans from Rio Carabelas, Delta del Parana, Buenos Aires, Argentina, is displayed, courtesy of Ezequiel Osvaldo Nunez Bustos. See nigricans file.

Hylesia subcottica?? male, Yacutinga, Misiones, Argentina,
September 11, 2010, courtesy of Ezequiel Osvaldo Nunez Bustos,
tentative id, and some digital repair by Bill Oehlke.

Ezequiel writes, "I forget to send these two Hylesia species, but I believe the male is neither nigricans nor remex. I don´t sure what species is it. It is from Yacutinga, at 11/09/2010.

"The second is a female of Hylesia nigricans (posted on nigricans page) from Río Carabelas, Delta del Paraná (Buenos Aires), at 15/01/2010."

If my id as subcottica is correct, that represents a new first for Misiones, Argentina.

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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.

I hope to have a price list for cocoons and pupae posted before the end of September, but some of the stock I will be offering is still feeding, and I do not wish to post it as available until it has been harvested. I will begin shipping from New Jersey in late October. After that, subsequent orders will be shipped on Mondays from New Hampshire via my US shipping partner.

In Canada this year I only have the following:
Actias luna at $4.50
Antheraea polyphemus at $4.75
Anisota virginiensis at $3.00
Paonias excaecata Sphingidae at $3.50

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I think there must still be some very healthy populations of Citheronia regalis in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virgina belt as I often receive images to identify from that general area. I often get them from southeastern states as well.

Citheronia regalis, Langhorne, Bucks County, Pennsylvania,
September 20, 2011, courtesy of non-member Robert Prizer.

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For the first time on WLSS a live female Hemileuca burnsi is depicted, courtesy of Bedros Orchanian.

Hemileuca burnsi female, Phelan, San Bernadino County, California,
September 17, 2011, courtesy of Bedros Orchanian.

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For the first time on WLSS images of live male and female Loepa minahassae from Sulawesi have been posted, courtesy of Gary Saunders.

Loepa minahassae male, Sulawesi, courtesy of Gary Saunders.

Loepa minahassae female, Sulawesi, courtesy of Gary Saunders.

Gary's photos inspired me to make a map of Sulawesi, now posted on the Sulawesi page. As I was researching the map and country, I learned that the upper eastern peninsula has Minahassa as part of its name, so Loepa minahassae probably has a species name indicative of a specimen type location.

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Rothschilida lebeau yucatana, Ria Lagartos, Yucatan, Mexico,
September 29, 2011, courtesy of Paul Koelstra,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke

Rothschilida lebeau yucatana verso, Ria Lagartos, Yucatan, Mexico,
September 29, 2011, courtesy of Paul Koelstra,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Paul Koelstra writes, "Last week I saw my first Saturniidae; it was flying low above the ground when a car crashed into it."

My first suggestion to Paul was the car-hit specimen is Rothschildia roxana, but upon placing the images on the roxana page, I noticed quite a few differences from the other roxana specimens.

Now, despite the very straight white pm line, I think the specimen is much more likely Rothschildia lebeau yucatana.

Other opinions are welcomed.

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The larva depicted below is believed to be that of Automeris escalantei. Alan Marson is rearing them on Wisteria. This is first time larvae of this species, instars 2, 4,5 and 6, are depicted on WLSS, and foodplant is also a first.

Automeris escalantei sixth instar, Baja Verapaz, Guatemala,
reared on Wisteria, courtesy of Alan Marson.

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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.

Hemaris diffinis, Borger, Hutchinson County, Texas, courtesy of Wallace B. Thompson.

For the first time on my Sphingidae of the Americas website, a larval image of Manduca albiplaga has been posted.

Manduca albiplaga larva, Campo Ramon, Misiones, Argentina,
November 27, 2009, courtesy of Ezequiel Osvaldo Nunez Bustos.

Ezequiel writes, "I send this image of a Manduca albiplaga from Campo Ramón (Misiones), Argentina at 27/11/2009. This was at an unidentified plant, but it was not Manihot. When we touch, it was very agressive, moving the body and going down to the ground. It was very big, approx. 15 cms or more perhaps. We see only two caterpillars in the place."

Eumorpha analis ??, Cuna Piru Provincial Park, Misiones, Argentina,
September 9, 2010, courtesy of Ezequiel Osvaldo Nunez Bustos.

The above larva is believed to be Eumorpha analis, largely based on process of elimination. It might, however, be Eumorpha satellitia licaon which could be a possible addition to Argentina Sphingidae. It was not raised through to adulthood. Hostplant is an unknown (to Ezequiel) vine.

It is also another first for Sphingidae site.

For the first time a live Xylophanes chiron cubanus is depicted on Sphingidae of the Americas website.

Xylophanes chiron cubanus Topes de Collantes, Cuba,
August 3, 2011, courtesy of Paul Hoekstra.

Many thanks to Leonardo Aguado who has been sending me images of many of the less common Sphingidae species from Argentina.

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Catocala Capers

Many thanks to David Moskowitz who sends this beautiful image of a Catocala vidua photographed September 21, 2011, in East Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

Catocala vidua, East Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey,
September 21, 2011, courtesy of David Moskowitz.

David asked me, "What are the diagnostic marks that separate it as C. vidua?"

I have outlined various features in different coloured inks on a Diagnostic Copy of C. vidua, and have entered some comments so that techniques I use for determinations might be of use to others. The link is from the New Jersey Catocala page.

For the first time live images of Catocala grotiana, Catocala chelidonia chelidonia and Catocala verrilliana, all from Arizona, are displayed on Catocala website, courtesy of Evan Rand.

Ken Childs sent me an image of a live Catocala lacrymosa form paulina from Henderson, Chester County, Tennessee. The image initially had me stumped, but Jason Roberts helped with identification, and now I have added the different forms of lacrymosa to the appropriate state checklists. It is also a first for a live Catocala lacrymosa form paulina to be displayed on Catocala of North America website.

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