Columbus Ohio Collection Report

James Hanlon jfhanlon at mediaone.net
Tue May 23 00:12:35 EDT 2000


Had a nice four day business trip to Columbus, Ohio and managed to seek out
a blacklighting location in a lush hilly area south of Columbus known as Tar
Hollow. Eric Metzler of this group was so kind to give me detailed
directions for the area. Thanks Eric.

Being from the West Coast, I have always longed to see the Luna moth in
flight, so my goal on this trip was to bring one in.

I pulled my Hertz white Dodge Intrepid into the park area at around 6 PM and
proceeded to place a white sheet along the side of the car. Naturally, the
other campers in the area started looking at me with real caution wondering
what the heck is this guy doing?

By 9 PM after confirming with the park ranger that black lighting was OK, I
connected the DC powered black light to the car battery and waited. I
occasionally turned the car heater on to warm up, and then pathetically and
joyously I would watch the huge bon fire a football field away, and the
whole scene was feeling pretty cozy.  Not quite camping with the love of
your life, but I didn't care, because I was thinking about the Luna.

By 1 AM, no Luna presented itself. The weather temp had cooled significantly
over the last day and a half, and it just seemed a couple of weeks early.
Regardless of the poor turn out, the experience was still fantastic. I had
broken away from my busy work schedule and gotten outdoors. Just the
suspense of waiting for a possible Luna sighting was fun in its own right.

The next day, I returned to Tar Hallow and observed the following:

1.) Limenitis arthemis astyanax (Red-Spotted Purple) - Differs from the
Western Red-Spotted Purple, Limenitis arthemis arizonensis) in that the
forwings recto contain several red spots not found on L.a. arizonensis.
Limenitis was seen flying at 15 foot hights along forest edges. Also seen
mud puddling at sewage runoff near restroom building.

2.) Papilio glaucus (Eastern Tiger Swallowtail) - P. glaucus female laid two
eggs on a Tuliptree (Liridendron tulipifera). The eggs were placed
individually on separate leaves. Does anyone know of an easily obtainable
Southern California tree that the eastern tiger would definitely feed on?
P. glaucus was also seen in great numbers mud puddling in the sewage runoff
on the outside of the restroom building.

3.) Papilio troilus (Spicebush Swallowtail)- Nectaring in open and cut
grassy area and mud puddling near restrooms.

4.) Battus philenor (Pipe-Vine Swallowtail)

Overall, a great spring day in the midwest!

Jim Hanlon
Los Angeles, CA





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