Actias artemis aliena female, Japan courtesy of Sune Hauch.
Hi All,
I was recently asked to put together some articles on Saturniidae parasitoids. By coincidence, just a day or so later, I received an email correction to one of my Sphingidae pages where I had enterred an improper name for a parasitoid of Callionima denticulata. I made the correction, based on the info sent to me by Dr. David Wahl, American Entomological Institute, in Gainesville, Florida. I looked up some of the terminology in Dr. Wahl's email to me and think I can paraphrase and post some useful links.
I am going to begin a section on Saturniidae parasites, parasitoids and predators (all kinds: birds, lizards (reptiles), rodents, amphibians, mammals, mollusks (pretty sure slugs eat pupae), spiders, insects, microorganisms (viruses, fungi, bacteria) etc.). Any electronic images that you can send and experiences that you can relate would be much appreciated. I will aslo try to find and post best remedies to problems created by these "pests" so anything you can share that might help others would be appreciated.
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Tending larvae has been hectic the last few weeks. Some of the earliest polyphemus, cecropia and luna have begun to spin. The earliest rubicunda have pupated. I have literally thousands of luna, polyphemus, cecropia, columbia, virginiensis and rubicunda larvae still feeding in sleeves.
Most of the Sphingidae have begun to pupate.
I was so electrolyte depleted one evening last week that I started taking severe leg cramps. Fortunately my wife gave me a dill pickle and made a run to the store to get some power aid, and within about half an hour of massaging the cramps and drinking the beverage I was back to my usual self.
I had been taking water bottles with me to the woods and fields, but I will need to take an electrolyte replacement in future on really hot, humid days.
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August 8: Heraclides cresphontes (giant swallowtail) pupae are available now (August 16) and can probably be shipped as late as August 20 as they usually remain in pupae for about three weeks. These are thought to be a non-diapausing brood and are expected to hatch in early September. Stock is from Alabama.
Specify quantity desired and send your complete shipping address by email for a price quote. There are only a few left (maybe seven at most as of this writing). All are sold now.
As of September 2, four pupae are available. More are expected in about three weeks.
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Jayant Kasi of Netherlands is offering eggs of Coscinocera hercules and Argema mittrei. His note to me with his email address and prices can be accessed from the following link: Jayant Kasi.
Reminder: You are at risk of warning or fine in USA or Canada if you import livestock of non-indigenous species without permits. You usually cannot get permits unless you have a government inspected containment facility as per zoos and museums. Proceed at your own risk. Laws in European countries seem much less restrictive.
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Sune Hauch of Denmark has recently sent a beautiful image of a female Actias artemis aliena from Japan. It is the first time the female of this subspecies has been depicted on WLSS.
Actias artemis aliena female, Japan courtesy of Sune Hauch.
Ronald Brechlin and Frank Meister have launched a new publication called ENTOMO-SATSPHINGIA.
Dr. Brechlin writes, "We were/are very
busy ... We (Frank [Meister] and I) have launched a new journal dealing
mainly with saturniids and sphingids, including interesting rearings. In
the future other moth families will also be covered. It is written mainly
in German (with English abstracts [some in Spanish too]), and some
publications are in English.
"So it would be really great if you could put an advertisment for this
journal on your website! Our aim is to publish (1-) 2 issue(s) per year;
and 2 issues are finished already - Entomo-Satsphingia 1/1 (April
2008) and Entomo-Satsphingia 2/1 (March 2009).
The contact link for subscription orders of the journal Entomo-Satsphingia is:
Frank Meister.
The price for the first issue (1/1-2008 [42 pages]) is 16 Euro and for
the 2nd subscription (2/1-2009 [61 pages]) is 19.50 Euro.
The following new taxa have been described in the first 2 editions:
Issue 1/1 (6.4. 2008):
Dirphia albescens Brechlin & Meister, 2008 (formerly known as
[unpublished] Dirphia "naumanni" - on your website as well!)
Janiodes cuscoensis Brechlin & Meister, 2008
Meroleuca catamarcensis Meister & Brechlin, 2008
Molippa bertrandoides Brechlin & Meister, 2008
Paradirphia rudloffi Brechlin & Meister, 2008
Pseudodirphia frickei Meister & Brechlin, 2008
Ptiloscola burmeisteri Meister & Brechlin, 2008
Further more in this subscription there is a rearing report of Caio
harrietae (Forbes, 1944) and a sphingid description of
Polyptychus chinensis shaanxiensis Brechlin, 2008
Issue 2/1 (20.3. 2009):
Actias parasinensis Brechlin, 2009
Antheraea (Antheraea) angustomarginata Brechlin & Meister, 2009
Copaxa novocineracea Brechlin & Meister, 2009
Dysdaemonia australoboreas Brechlin & Meister, 2009
Janiodes napoensis Brechlin, Meister & Kaech, 2009
Salassa bhutanensis Brechlin, 2009
Further more in this issue there is a rearing report of Actias
rhodopneuma Röber, 1925, in addition a publication dealing with the
rediscovery of the Brahmaeid moth Calliprogonos miraculosa Mell, 1937
and descriptions of 4 new sphingids from the Philippines:
Cypa luzonica Brechlin, 2009:
Degmaptera cadioui Brechlin & Kitching, 2009
Sataspes leyteana Brechlin & Kitching, 2009
Automeris chaconoides Brechlin & Meister, 2008
Janiodes oxapampensis Brechlin & Meister, 2008
Meroleuca raineri Brechlin & Meister, 2008
Molippa wenczeli Meister & Brechlin, 2008
Pseudodirphia marxi Brechlin & Meister, 2008
Pseudodirphia singeri Meister & Brechlin, 2008
Pseudodirphia weritzi Brechlin & Meister, 2008
Ptiloscola paraguayensis Brechlin, Meister & Drechsel, 2008
Ptiloscola wolfei Brechlin & Meister, 2008
Antheraea (Antheraea) kalangensis Brechlin & Meister, 2009
Antheraea (Antheraea) paukpelengensis Brechlin & Meister, 2009
Antheraea (Antheraea) rubicunda Brechlin, 2009
Dysdaemonia undulensis Brechlin & Meister, 2009
Janiodes pichinchensis Brechlin, Meister & Kaech, 2009
(see your discussion with Horst and Frank some months ago;) later I
was getting aware that at this time I had aleady [nearly] finished these
descriptions and following we had invited Horst to become a coauthor of
these ones)
Salassa lemaii chiangmaiensis Brechlin & Meister, 2009
Sataspes negrosiana Brechlin & Kitching, 2009"
I will shortly be updating the genus checklists to include the recently described species, and I will also create species files for the additions.
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Sphingidae Express
Edna Bottorff continues to have success rearing Sphinx sequoiae. Live adults, egg and instars 1-5 and pupa are now depicted.
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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.
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Catocala Capers
I am starting to receive Catocala images from the southern states, but it will probably be a while before I get around to posting them.
Aubrey Scott recently sent me images of Catocala vidua and Catocala sordida from Georgia.
I am working on a thumbnail checklist for Georgia and should have it posted by the weekend of August 9.
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Caterpillars Too!, a North American butterfly website:
Sam Jaffe larvae and pupae images will be posted shortly.
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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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