field report

[Mike Soukup]

Just got back from the Florida Keys (Key Largo in Particular) where it
already seemed like summer....or at least late spring.  Daytime temps
were around 83°.  Nights ranged from 49° to 62°.

During the day, I saw several Giant Swallowtails, a Julia, and several
of the Arctiid moth Syntomeida epialis.  The recently hatched Arctiid
cocoons where found in the corners along the edge of the garage and
elsewhere around the hotel.  The reason for the trip was Scuba....not
Lepping (really), so I didn't see much else during the day.  However,
since you can't keep a moth man down, I did manage to check many of the
lights along Rt. 1 on the way home from whatever bar my brother dragged
me to that night (Really!, I don't even drink....OK - maybe a Strawberry
Daquiri or some other "wuss-drink"...but, nothing real!   And, at least
the music was usually good!).  And, I was very glad I checked them.  It
was Sphinx-city

Errinyis ello was very common.  Saw at least 30 over 4 nights.
Errinyis obscura - 1
Madoryx pseudothyreus - 8
Pachylia ficus - 1
Perigonia lusca -1 (found smooshed but not un-usable)
Xylophanes pluto - 1 (Smooshed beyond usableness...but identifiable)
Xylophanes tersa - 1
Pseudosphinx tetrio - 1 (found dead)

Now, here's where I need some help.  I saw several dozen Protambulyx
sp., of which I brought home a few.  According to both Ferguson and
Covell, P. carteri is common and P. strigilis is rare.  Both also state
that P. strigilis has a distinct, sharp Sub-terminal (sub-marginal in
Ferguson) line that ditinguishes it from P. carteri.  And, I believe
that, in Ferguson, the 2 figures (Plate 6, figs. 10,12)  cleary show the
st. line.  And, also in Ferguson, the P. carteri pictured (Plate 6,
figs. 13,14 and Plate 14, fig.2) clearly show the lack of the st. line.
However, Covell, while agreeing with Ferguson on description and rarity,
shows a photo of  P. carteri (Plate 4, fig. 9), that, looks to me, like
it does have a clear st. line.  Now, all of the specimens I caught much
more closely resemble the P. strigilis (ie. they have a clear dark st.
line on the out margin of the forewing -  and several exhibit the banded
hindwings).  But, my problem is, they were "dirt-common"....as common as
E. ello.

    Also, I caught a Cautethia sp. which I more closely resembles C.
yucatana (Ferguson, Plate 14, fig. 5) than grotei....the only one well
known from the area.  The forwing is dark and displays little
maculation, the apex of the forewing is more a acute than C. grotei (I
have one here for comparison) and the outer dark border on the hind wing
is much wider than that of my grotei.  Is there a way to differentiate
tham without checking uncuses and gnathoses?  Or, has C. yucatan been
found in Florida?

Other things:

1 - Ascaphala odorata (Noct.)
1 - Calidoata laqueata (Arct.)
4 -  Lymire edwardsii (Arct.)
1 - Xanthopastis timais (Noct.)

There's a few other Noctuids....but thay are, as of yet, not mounted or
ID'd.

If anyone wants a photo to see what I am talking about, I will take
pictures as soon as they come off the blocks (I mounted the critical
ones today).

Thanks.

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