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Post by sappet102 on Aug 4, 2017 2:10:19 GMT
Hello all! I just wanted to share my biggest find yet! I was on a business trip to Maryland, and I decided that I should be walking around the hotel and checking the lights at night for moths. I found a bunch of these white Tiger Moths, too many to take in, so I collected and pinned three of them (Two of them had differing hind-wing colors). Not quite sure what they are, my first guess is a Saltmarsh Moth? Any way, next I found a large cicada, nothing too exciting, but it was my first cicada so I was happy with it! Then I looked by an exhaust vent near one of the lights, and found this behemoth Imperial Moth! My biggest moth find yet! Her wingspan is 6" on the dot. She had some damage near the head with missing scales when I nabbed her, but She is still so beautiful. I put her in the freezer, and two hours later when I checked on her, she had been laying eggs! I gathered the eggs into a jar and and will await to see if they hach... not sure if the freezer killed them? Not sure how long they were sitting in the freezer either. My question is, is it possible for momma to have eggs inside her that she didn't lay out because she passed away in the freezer, and little caterpillars could potentially hatch inside her and ruin her? Or is this a stupid fear? This was a very fun trip for me, being a total amateur at insect collecting, and I am learning a lot and having a lot of fun finding new specimens!
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Post by Adam Cotton on Aug 4, 2017 8:38:11 GMT
My question is, is it possible for momma to have eggs inside her that she didn't lay out because she passed away in the freezer, and little caterpillars could potentially hatch inside her and ruin her? Or is this a stupid fear? Eggs are only fertilized as they are being laid, so the answer to your question is no. Adam.
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Post by sappet102 on Aug 4, 2017 11:28:57 GMT
Good to know, thanks so much! Will the eggs I collected still hatch? Either way, I consider this a very successful trip and it's honestly the first time I have ever seen a moth this big out in the wild.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Aug 4, 2017 16:53:36 GMT
They should have been fertilized, but if they actually froze they probably died. Keep them and see what happens. I have no idea how long they normally take to hatch, but someone here will probably be able to tell you.
Adam.
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Post by sappet102 on Aug 4, 2017 17:05:42 GMT
Thanks very much for your help. I will keep them and we shall see, I would love to watch them become moths. Not sure how long all 5 instars will take though.
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Post by neominois on Aug 4, 2017 17:58:25 GMT
She's a nice Imperial Moth, wings in great shape!. You never know what you will find at hotels, gas stations and car washes! I don't have the eastern species, E. imperialis. I only have the western E. oslari.
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Post by sappet102 on Aug 4, 2017 20:34:47 GMT
I also thought she was in fantastic shape, the new gem of my collection I would say. I had honestly never seen one in person before this. I also never knew a western species existed, very cool to know that! I guess they are on the decline in northern states, maybe that is why I have never seen one in NY where I am located. Glad I found it in MD though.
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Post by NathanGrosse on Aug 26, 2017 13:06:08 GMT
I've had moths lay eggs while in the freezer before. I think the cold triggers some sort of involuntary response in the abdomen and if the female is gravid, out come the eggs. I've also had similar incidents with Orthoptera and their fecal matter.
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Post by trehopr1 on Aug 26, 2017 16:58:19 GMT
The Imperial Moth is by no means on the decline. It is just one of several giant silkworm moth species present in the Eastern half of the U.S. It can be found wherever hardwood forest is present and readily comes to Mercury Vapor lights during the month of July and early August. The life span of Saturniids moths is only a 10 to 14 day span as adults since they cannot feed as other Lepidoptera can. They live off of their stored up body fat gained since they were huge larvae. Male saturniids probably live a scant 4 or 5 days realistically since they are very much more active than females (in seeking out mates); thus burning through their fat reserves at an accelerated rate. Most lay people at best only happen across these marvelous creatures by sheer coincidence. In northern regions, saturniid moths only have one generation as compared to other mid-west and southern states which may have 2 (depending on the species). The widespread use of sodium vapor lights as well as the recent addition of halogen and led lighting only means all that less a chance at seeing a great moth at light.
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Post by mothman27 on Sept 5, 2017 1:29:58 GMT
Their eggs usually hatch in around 10 days. It certainly is a stunning species. I am too late but I would have suggested possibly supporting the abdomen as it dried.
Imperials seem very scarce here in Northern Indiana, I blacklight/MV very often and I didn't see a single one this year, only one last year.
Btw, you are correct on the tiger moths, they are salt marsh moths.
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Post by exoticimports on Sept 6, 2017 18:50:10 GMT
. It is just one of several giant silkworm moth species present in the Eastern half of the U.S. It can be found wherever hardwood forest is present
The distribution is not quite that favorable. Having collected extensively in NY and PA for decades, I have never seen one.
Look at this distribution map, there is a big hole in most of NY and northern PA, as well as almost all of the true NE (MA, NH, VT, CT). This despite the fact that the host plants are ubiquitous in the void.
Chuck
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Post by Adam Cotton on Sept 6, 2017 19:15:24 GMT
I think you forgot the map, or a link to it.
Adam.
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Post by Paul K on Sept 6, 2017 19:46:08 GMT
I collected two males of Eacles imperialis at light in boreal forest 400 km north of Toronto back in 1998. I have never seen it in southern Ontario. I also collected a pair in Amazon- French Guiana in 2004, what a fascinating species adopted to so different climates.
Paul
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Post by exoticimports on Sept 7, 2017 16:52:23 GMT
Adam, you are correct. I refer to the BaMONA map www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Eacles-imperialisPaul, those in Amazonia are the same genus, but not same species AFAIK, and certainly not the same ssp. I'd have to check LeMaire's book, but I don't think the same species.
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Post by Paul K on Sept 7, 2017 18:31:37 GMT
Adam, you are correct. I refer to the BaMONA map www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Eacles-imperialisPaul, those in Amazonia are the same genus, but not same species AFAIK, and certainly not the same ssp. I'd have to check LeMaire's book, but I don't think the same species. as far as my research you are right . They are not same ssp. , In north Ontario occurs E.i.pini, in US E.i.imperialis, one in French Guiana (Amazon) is E.i.cacicus.There are many ssp as the range is huge. Now there are few more Eacles species that I collected in F.Guiana but as right now my collection is a mess Paul
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