billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 16:00:00 GMT
Here I marked the features that led me to conclusion I did.
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billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 15:58:59 GMT
Verso
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billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 15:58:28 GMT
Last June, I got real lucky and, at the top of a Tennessee mountain, caught this gem. Interestingly, I caught at this same location (actual spot) a year earlier, a Catocala marmorata which I never thought I'd collect myself.
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billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 15:48:27 GMT
Great pics nomad.
Before I retired, collecting was limited to summer and weekend nights because I had to teach the next day. I am basically the luckiest guy (now retired) in that I get to go out whenever I want, take trips to cool places, and stay up real late not having to worry about school the next day. I am not, for sure, one of those guys who sits in front of the tv when there are bugs to be had, larvae to be fed, etc.
While I don't live in the greatest bug area when I'd love to move, the wife wants to remain. So......as long as she lets me do the travel bit, all is ok. Had a few great trips this last year to LA, KY, TN, AL, and WI. I also got permission to use several private properties for sleeving and food gathering for the tons of rearing I did this last summer as well as new blacklighting spots.
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billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 15:37:13 GMT
idalia
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billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 15:36:26 GMT
the girls
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billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 15:32:26 GMT
My favorite Speyeria is diana with idalia taking second. I also was fortunate to have reared them as well as caught in the field.
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billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 15:08:40 GMT
I bought a digital forced air type which holds enough boards depending on size. The link to the one I got is below. I must (as I was so warned) advise anyone not to exceed 115 degrees. Also, be sure that all wing surface area, especially the edges, be covered with paper or glass. Exposed wing edges in the machine likely will cause some degree of curling. When I bring them out having put glass slides on the wings, I let the board with specimens sit a while and let them reach the room temperature. I've had a few wings want to curl if I take off the slides too soon. When I wait a bit, all works great. Yes, there is a cost to them. I recently sold off much of my world moths and beetles so I had the bucks. This was one of the great things about not overdoing the purchasing of worldwide bugs anymore. I actually get to spend money on field collecting equipment, mounting equipment etc. I still have enough of the cool overseas stuff, just not the ssp. depth or drawers and drawers of rare small series. I'd buy some are moth, put it in among the others of its sp., and maybeeeee look at it a few times a year. My total focus has changed from that to doing more in the field now that I'm retired. www.labdepotinc.com/p-60026-compact-forced-air-incubator.php?c=442btw... I got the 12-140AE model and it is great. If you call the place, they are very good to work with. If you are serious, call them and say you want one......could they come down any on the price? ....or.....could they toss in free SH?
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billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 14:53:55 GMT
For the Vapona (yellow piece at upper left of center), I cut them to about 7mm x 7mm pieces and put on a pin not touching a specimen. They last a long time depending on how often one opens the drawer.
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billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 14:42:14 GMT
I use Cedar Oil as a deterrent and Vapona pieces as the killing agent with great success. Interestingly, when I dry my boards with specimens in the incubator at 115 degrees, they come out free of any pests.
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billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 14:30:55 GMT
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billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 14:30:08 GMT
For me, after 15 or so hours of softening in a slightly heated chamber, I pull them out to try to mount. If they are still too stiff, I'll take regular dry Gin (the kind one would drink) and inject into the ventral thorax at an angle from between the legs towards the head. Then I wait 5 min., try to gently work loose the wing muscles. If still too stiff, I'll again inject until Gin oozes out the spiracles or needle entry. I'll again wait a few minutes. Lastly, after two injections, two wing muscle workings, and still a bit stiff, I'll take a paintbrush and lightly "paint" Gin onto the outside ventral area where the wings are attached to the body. Honestly, this almost always works for me. I am careful not to have the Gin wet the wings or even the outside of the abdomen. If PDB is also in the softening chamber, I may also put them back in for an additional 8 hours.
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billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 6:41:17 GMT
Thanks for the warm welcome trehopr1.
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billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 0:16:34 GMT
Hello all,
I'm Bill Garthe from Peru, Illinois, USA and I've collected for fifty one years and recently retired from being a biology teacher. I also wood carve, play violin/fiddle ( for fifty or so years), play chess, am a fishing nut, shoot guns for fun, do camping, and koi ponding. I love the Leps and coleops the most......especially the Sats. I rear a lot, do blacklighting, tapping, and sugaring. Catocalas are also among my favs. I look forward to joining this group and see that many I do know have joined already.
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