Mothly Newsletter:

August 16, 2022 - October 15, 2022

Hi All,

As of September 19, 2019, I have about thirty polyphemus larvae still out in sleeves. If we get a couple more warm days, the larvae should spin cocoons within a week. If it stays cool, they might be still feeding into October. I have had themhappen before. I have harvested all other species I have been rearing: luna, io, hundreds of polyphemus, small numbers of columbia, cecropia virginiaensis and rubicunda.

I have also sent out individual notices to all Canadian WLSS members with a fall priceist and have sold just about everything I reared here on PEI this season.

I did not have a good rearing season or harvest this year! Perhaps the extreme heat contributed to some of the problems, and there has been some predation from within sleeves, possibly earwigs, and from outside sleeves, probably hornets. Virus effected many of my Hyalophora larvae, both columbia and cecropia.

I appealed to Canadian WLSS members for help by supplying me with additional livestock from their surplus and have received a great response. The stock they are sending me (luna, columbia and ios) should enable me to fill all Canadian WLSS member requests, and leave a few additional cocoons for advertizing to general public in Canada.

Some of my US suppliers this year also had difficulty, and so I am appealing to US breeders to notify me of surplusses they might be able to send to my new shipping partner in Ohio at wholesle prices. Here is copy of notice I am sending to all US WLSS members who will have first crack at what is available within the US. I will send individual notices to US WLSS members before advertising to US general public:

Hello to all USA WLSS members,

Below is a tentative pricelist of what I expect to be able to offer to US destinations now, this fall (2022) and winter of (2022-23):

Available right now from Alabama
Actias luna at $6.00/cocoon; we expect these cocoons to overwinter, but there is possibility some or all might emerge in next couple of weeks
Eacles imperialis will either be sold as pairs at $18.00/pair or trios (2 males and 1 female) at $25.00/trio. Not all of the larvae have pupated yet so we do not have exact gender counts. We expect these to overwinter.
Either or both of these two species can be direct shipped from Alabama in one box with shipping and handling costs at $11.00. Do not send payment until your order is confirmed by me. Paypal is prerferred payment method for these items. Please specify Alabama luna and/or imperialis if you wish items from this category.

I expect to have overwintering luna from other sources, but this year I may not have imperialis from any other sources, and we only expect a total of thirty imperialis from Alabama. They will be in short supply.

I also need the following three items when you place your Alabama order:

1) Your complete mailing address
2) Species and quantities desired
3) Email address associated with your Paypal accunt so I can make request for funds from here. With paypal there is approximate 4.5% of total that would be added to your order as Paypal treansaction fee : amount Paypal deducts from what I receive.

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Later this fall we will begin shipping from Ohio as I have a new US shipping partner from that state.

I also need the following three items when you place your Ohio order:

1) Your complete mailing address
2) Species and quantities desired
3) I prefer to receive payment for these items in form of personal check sent to Bill Oehlke, Box 476, Montague, PE, C0A 1R0, Canada. Do not send money until your order is confirmed. I can accept paypal or bank drafts also, but personal checks are preferred. Please indicate your intended payment method. All prices below are in US dollars. Acias luna at $6.25
Antheraea Polyphemus at 6.25
Automeris io at 6.25
Callosamia promethea at 6.25
Hyalophora cecropia at 8.50 probably in very short supply this year, looking for more
Hyalophora columbia gloveri at $7.50 uncertain of supply at this time; make requests and I will see what I can do.
Samia Cynthia at $6.50

Citheronia regalis and Eacles imperialis are uncertain at this time.If you want imperialis you should order from the Alabama listing. I should know in another 3-4 weeks if we will have any regalis. Larvae are still feeding from a late brood, but weather is getting cold and there may not be enough time to get mature larvae to pupate.

Butterflies:

Zebra swallowtails at 7.00;
Pterous troilus= spicebush swallowtail at 6.25
Pterous glaucus= eastern tiger swallowtail 6.25

I am looking to purchase additional quantities of your surplus stock at wholesale prices. I am especially interested in cecropia, promethea, imperialis, regalis, and possibly even Polyphemus. I am also interested in purchasing USA species not on the list.

With any response, please send the follwiowing three items. Receipt of same makes my record keeping much simpler:

Your complete name and shipping address
Species and quantities desired
Intended payment method, personal check, bank draft, Paypal.

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Last week my wife had her third chemo treatment for breast cancer. She has been receiving them once every three weeks and will will continue with three more treatments over the next nine weeks. She has been quite tired, but otherwise Bev is in good spirits. Please remeber her in your prayers if you are so inclined.

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I have been receiving some very nice images (larvae and adults) from Sandy Graveron in French Guiana. In some cases, these are of species not previously depicted on WLSS. Below is one such image.

Dirphia radiatoides, Saul, French Guiana, courtesy of Sandy Graveron.

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Sphingidae Express

I am starting to receive more images of Sphingidae adults and larvae, and have been working to create some new county pictoral checklists for USA Sphingidae. Catocala Capers

Roger Bovaere is a Catocala collector from France. He is looking to purchase or trade for specimens of the following species:
He is especially interested in herodias - carissima - marmorata - sappho & Paleogama phalanga, irene and ophelia.

He is also interested in more westerly species: Catocala babayaga, Catocala texanae, Catocala dulciola, Catocala electilis, Catocala praeclara, Catocala andromache, Catocala andromedae, Catocala francisca, Catocala stretchii, Catocala verecunda.

Please contact Roger at r.bolivar@wanadoo.fr if you can help him aling with his collection.

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