Spring lep records

[Dr. James Adams]

Dear listers,

          Been a while since I contributed anything lighthearted to 
the list.  It's always nice to read Mark's updates on collecting in 
the Northeast.  Here's a little of the recent "news" from N. Georgia. 
 
          Butterfly collecting has been really slow here, though the 
big pale "Spring Azure" (Celastrina sp.) has recently been common.  
By the way, anyone know what the status is now on the eastern 
Celastrina species?  Celastrina argiolus (or ladon, depending on who 
you talk to) and C. ebenina are the two "older" species.  How many 
are there now, and which of the names that I have heard (lucia, 
neglecta-major, violacea, etc.) are valid?  Is there a recent paper 
on these?  The common swallowtail species that are out now include 
the Tiger (Papilio glaucus), Spicebush (P. troilus), Giant (P. 
[Heraclides] cresphontes), Zebra (Eurytides marcellus), and Pipevine 
or Blue Swallowtail (Battus philenor), which is having a great year.  
We've had a lot of rain this year, and it's been relatively cool (El 
Nino [sorry, can't put the "~" over the "n"]), which probably 
explains the slow butterfly season so far.

         As for the moths, the most recent captures of interest are 
the first Euerythra phasma (Red Tailed Specter in Covell) I've seen 
in N. Georgia, as well as a specimen of the famous Salt-&-Pepper moth 
(Biston betularia), which is common farther north but definitely 
uncommon here in N. Georgia.  For those saturniid lovers out there, 
Luna moths have been particularly abundant this spring.

         I also recently took a short trip to N. Florida 
(Gainesville) and collected a couple of moths of interest, including 
what may be a completely new species of Slug moth (limacodid), a 
specimen of Acherdoa ferraria, and a Bagisara species (probably 
repanda).  I have two different sources with pictures of the eastern 
Bagisara, one of which pictures rectifascia and another that pictures 
repanda, and they look very similar (though the picture of repanda is 
poor).  Anyone have an unequivocal distinguishing characteristic for 
the females of the species?  Pecan Carpenterworm moths (Cossula 
magnifica) were common in the Gainesville area, as were several 
specimens of Apoda rectilinea (another Slug Moth, one that can't be 
found in N. Georgia).

           Enough for now.  And thanks in advance for any help with 
the Celastrina and Bagisara questions.

           James