polyphemus luna mating

[WILLIAM OEHLKE - 420]

Really?  Yes.  This past weekend Derek Bridgehouse and I set out a 
number of caged females in an open area in the Nova Scotia 
wilderness.  We set out two female lunas, a female polyphemus, two 
female cecropias, and a female hybrid cecropia x columbia.  When wwe 
checked cages around midnight, one luna was mated with another luna 
and a poly male was unquestionably paired with the other female luna.
Cecropia and polyphemus males were still fluttering around the area 
so we did not disturb cages and went to check on our MV and black 
lights.
When we came back at 1:30 am the poly and luna were separated, the 
female poly was paired with a male poly.  At 4:30 am a female 
cecropia was paired with a columbia  and the hybrid female was paired 
with a columbia. This is the second time this year that caged female 
cecropias have paired with wild columbia males, once in Nova Scotia 
and once in P.E.I.  Last year a female cecropia paired witha male 
columbia and the hybrid emergences are very beautiful.
Questions:  1)  What is the likelihood that there will be any viable 
ova from the luna x polyphemus mating?
2)  Do hybrid females usually scent?  It is my understanding that 
female F1 hybrids are sterile.  The female hybrid we had set out was 
quite heavy bodied.  It is possible, since it appears we are in a 
natural hybrid zone, that last year's male columbia or the P.E.I. 
female cecropia were carrying F2 or beyond hybrid genes.
3)  Is anyone doing work with "fancying" polyphemus by selective 
breeding the same way that guppies and many goldfish and tropical 
fish have been "fancied"?  I rear large numbers of polyphemus 
1200+/year and very often get extra large and colorful males and 
females.  I just recently paired  a large female with a very colorful 
male with much blue in the hind wing eyespot.  I will be tracking 
these ova/larvae/cocoons/adults to see if the blue is transmitted.
I also have a potential pairing of two large adults with substantial 
pink borders in hind wings.  Just want to know if anyone else is 
working in this area?
Bill Oehlke
Box 476
Montague,P.E.I., Canada, C0A 1R0
Phone: 902-838-3455 H; 902-838-0860 W
Fax: 902-838-0866
email:  oehlkew at montagueint.edu.pe.ca
Website:  http://www3.pei.sympatico.ca/oehlkew