FW: field report

Mark Walker MWalker at gensym.com
Wed Mar 8 01:21:02 EST 2000


> I am so bummed.  I have been meaning to post a report, but 
> have been quite busy with work and butterflying trips.  I 
> have been in South Florida for several weeks (with a 5 day 
> stint back in California - just long enough to drive up into 
> Azusa Canyon).  I can't believe we didn't hook up while you 
> were in the keys.  We probably drove past each other several 
> times on Route 1.
> 
> Anyway, I'm forwarding your email to David Fine - who along 
> with Leroy has been watching the moths very carefully in 
> South Florida.  He may be able to provide you with more id info.
> 
> I'll forward my county report later.  Too busy at the moment 
> (sorry we missed each other).
> 
> Mark Walker
> Still in Miami Beach
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Mike Soukup [mailto:mikayak at mdo.net]
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2000 11:45 AM
> > To: Leps-l
> > Subject: field report
> > 
> > 
> > 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.
> > 
> > --
> > Website=> http://www.mdo.net/users/mikayak/
> >    http://thenaturedepot.com
> > 
> > Email=>
> > 
> 


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