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Post by trehopr1 on Jul 29, 2020 6:43:31 GMT
In a continuation of my previous post I stopped by today to visit my favorite "Catocala shelter" in the wilderness (shown in the photograph above). Well, low and behold another fair damsel of the summers night was found resting there. Only this time it lighted in a place high among the overhead trusses (beams). This happens and you have to be prepared for it or at least innovative in securing your quarry... So, realizing that even with my net it was well out of reach I had to look for alternatives to "gain" height. I had to improvise, adapt, and overcome the dilemma at hand if I was to be successful. Fortunately, a nearby picnic table looked to afford the precious height which I needed to gain. Between the 4 ft. table and my 6ft. height you would figure problem solved. Well, no -- still to short to reach up with the jar. So, the ole' net was still required but, it was not going to cover the location sufficiently. I still had to give "chance" a shot and tapped the net nearby it to cause flight ! Well, as you can see I was successful with my improvised method of capture. Afterward, I proceeded to move the picnic table back in place and something colorful for a moment caught my eye in my peripheral vision. Turning around I scanned the immediate area. Do you see him? Here's a close-up... This fellow was not here upon my initial survey. Something had frightened it from its daytime perch and this darkened void was the best getaway ! Catocala moths "gain an edge" initially on any predator or "perceived" one through their "flash" coloration. They initially "startle" any would-be bother and then do the ole' "duck and hide" maneuver. This species is the Ultronia Underwing (Catocala ultonia). Of coarse, this one was easy pickings... So, for a quick 10 min. trip from the house to the woods and another 20 min. spent searching and collecting this site I am rewarded this time with 2 fine specimens and species. As mentioned, in my above post I generally find 1-5 of these fellows on any visit... If my summertime exploits collecting Catocala in the "daytime" continue to offer up such rewards; then I may show the combined "fruits of my labor" after everybody has nicely "cured" on the spreading boards. More talk of Catocala's will be forthcoming... Have a nice summer as well and "Good Hunting" !
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Post by trehopr1 on Aug 3, 2020 5:05:28 GMT
Well, time once again for another installment of Catocala discussions... Tonight's topic centers on a species for which I have a particular fondness. Our Clouded Underwing (Catocala nebulosa) is a "honey" of a species... It is large with a wingspan of between (78-86mm). Its forewings have the most "woodsy" looking appearance about them of any large Catocala. There is a very dark basal patch of brown which then gives way to a lighter (mid-wing section) with varying medium brown infusions. The forewing tips end in a solid medium brown. Fresh examples even exhibit a "greenish" sheen over the woodsy background. A real unmistakeable species it could be said. Below, I offer up a selection of this marvelous moth. Clouded Underwing (Catocala nebulosa) Edwards 1864 The larvae are said to feed upon Black Walnut and Swamp Hickory; so naturally this is a species one will only likely encounter around relict expanses of woodland. At best I have found it to be only an occasional find in its haunts. I have only picked up 1 or 2 in any given evening and so far only during the month of July. All told I have 7 more besides these for my efforts. I really find this species a delight when found and a prize to be sure ! Thanks for "tuning-in" on another Catocala related story.
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Post by Paul K on Aug 3, 2020 14:21:20 GMT
Just out of my curiosity, why yellow labels?
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Post by trehopr1 on Aug 3, 2020 18:47:29 GMT
Hi Paul, I typically use a good grade of white "cardboard stock" paper for everything -- except my specimens collected from the region of southern Illinois. I go there most every summer at least once for an "expedition" of 3-4 days collecting. Could be any given summer month depending on weather and my availability to go. So, I decided long ago to use "color coded labels" just on my southern material. Yellow represents a July capture.
Just a personal caveat or "change things up a bit" kind of thing for my "special" collecting haunt.
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Post by bobw on Aug 18, 2020 15:58:59 GMT
You Americans are very lucky to have so many species of Catocala, you have about as many species as there are in the whole of the Palaearctic region. Here in England we only have four species and three of them are confined to a small area in the south. I therefore have to make do with rearing them, and I can tell you they're not an easy group to rear. The attached photos show what I managed to rear this year, the species are: concumbens, californica, lacrymosa, faustina and semirelicta.
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Post by bobw on Aug 18, 2020 15:59:37 GMT
2nd photo:
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Post by trehopr1 on Aug 18, 2020 18:16:14 GMT
Wow, well done indeed bobw !
Beautiful specimens and indeed hard won. I find it extraordinary that you breed these fellows. I cannot imagine there are many enthusiasts over here that even breed these much anymore... I'm sure the talent has been lost as older lepidopterists have passed on.
There are several regular enthusiasts on the other thread (as you know) who regularly report their findings for the summer. However, to the best of my knowledge NONE of them breed Catocala; they merely collect them at light or via bait methods.
Its very nice to see that there are others elsewhere who likewise have an appreciation and passion for these wonderful moths.
Thank you again for posting us some of your self bred beautiful Catocala.
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Post by trehopr1 on Aug 18, 2020 22:43:02 GMT
Hey bobw, would you have any interesting insights to tell us of these Catocala species which you have bred this year? Was any particular species more difficult to deal with than the others? I noticed you only have a few select specimens of semirelicta.
What kind of food plants do you use to feed these various species? Many kinds are said to feed on different kinds of oak. Did you have to substitute oak for something else?
My compliments really because it is no small feat getting these through to the adult from eggs...
Anything, that you can relate would be interesting to enthusiasts of these (in general).
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Post by bobw on Aug 19, 2020 12:19:12 GMT
First, let me point out that Catocala are tricky things to rear. I’ve bred hundreds of different species of butterflies and moths over the years and Cats are among the hardest. I no longer have the time or inclination for mass breeding so for the last few years I’ve concentrated on Cats as it’s one of the few genera that I actually collect. As well as the species shown I also had ova of piatrix, flebilis, unijuga and ultronia this year, but the piatrix and unijuga ova proved to be infertile. The flebilis foodplant is hickory, to which I have no access but most hickory feeders will take walnut, however, the flebilis larvae refused to touch it. The ultronia larvae are supposed to feed mainly on Prunus and other fruit trees, I offered them various types of cherry, plum and apple but they refused everything. Hickory is also the foodplant for lacrymosa but they happily accepted walnut, all the others I reared this year are poplar or willow feeders and I did them all on black poplar.
I started off with varying numbers of eggs of the different species, mainly courtesy of Larry Gall, I fact I only had 5 eggs of semirelicta so this was the most successful species and the only time I’ve ever had a 100% record egg to adult of any Catocala species, conversely I started with more than 100 eggs of lacrymosa and you can see how many I got through. Over the past few years I’ve also reared obscura, retecta, vidua and palaeogama on walnut, relicta and briseis on poplar and grynea on apple; as well as the 4 this year, I’ve also failed miserably with amatrix, umbrosa, connubialis and micronympha, the last 3 of which are oak feeders. I’ve also reared 9 European species and 13 from far-east Russia, and failed with 3 others. I’ve never managed to get a North American oak feeder through but I’ve done it with 10 European or Russian species! The one thing I have done, which is invaluable for future breeding, is keep a detailed spreadsheet with dates and numbers so I know what success rates I’ve had in each stage and how long each stage took.
I’ll try to add more on techniques later.
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Post by bobw on Aug 19, 2020 12:29:02 GMT
I also managed to find an old photo of what I reared last year. the first 4 columns are European species but the last 4 are obscura, retecta, palaeogama and relicta.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Aug 19, 2020 14:04:34 GMT
I’ve never managed to get a North American oak feeder through but I’ve done it with 10 European or Russian species! That suggests to me that there is a significant difference between European and American oak species, at least at the chemical level. Adam.
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Post by nomihoudai on Aug 19, 2020 14:11:49 GMT
Oaks have taken over in the US and shaped into any imaginable shape. The US has 160 of the 360 known species. Texas has 60 of them. My favorite is Quercus virginiana as they grow to an impressive size and their branches grow in an erratic way.
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Post by bobw on Aug 19, 2020 14:21:25 GMT
I’ve never managed to get a North American oak feeder through but I’ve done it with 10 European or Russian species! That suggests to me that there is a significant difference between European and American oak species, at least at the chemical level. Adam. That's possible. I have got some larvae to a bit more than half-grown so they start off OK. I think possibly I need to start them a bit earlier - just as the buds are bursting. Anyway, I intend to try again next year.
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Post by trehopr1 on Aug 20, 2020 18:53:49 GMT
I noticed a while back in an article posted by our member (Nomad) on some of Oxfords catocala holdings; a certain preparation style which was popular for a time. English collectors seemed to favor pulling the front legs of their moths out in front of them... Though the "pinning style" may no longer be in vogue I found it aesthetically pleasing and have incorporated it (whenever possible) with my fresh caught Catocala specimens. I rarely do this with my rehydrated specimens unless they are especially pliable. I find this a "nifty" change-up from the typical manner that most spread their specimens. Below, I present the "English style" of catocala preparation. These fellows have dried now for 35 days so they are ready for the collection. You will notice that I use a spreading board with just a little wider gap than the width of the moths body. This allows one the ability to easily preen out the forelegs. Once they hook onto the edge of the gap they pretty much stay in place however, as a precaution I still brace pin them each with 2 or 3 "minuten" pins or fine #1 or smaller size insect pins. Since the forelegs look so good (to me) splayed out in front of the moth; well, why not pull out that pair of long hind legs as well... (sort of trailing in the wind). I think the effect is great! As you can see, I don't treat my preparation work as a job --- its a "fun" exercise. About those antennae... I really never have a "standard" for how I want them to look. I look to see more so "what are they willing to do" ! You see these threadlike antennae don't necessarily have a lot of "give" (this way) or (that way). So, one has to exercise skill and good judgement in their placement and/or arrangement. A little too much bend or force applied will snap them. So, if you are an aesthetic collector like myself that can be VERY disheartening... Anyway, I just thought I would let others know that you can have some measure of "fun" working up your things and the results can be personally rewarding when the end product is viewed. These are really great moths to collect.
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