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Post by livingplanet3 on Feb 10, 2022 14:48:56 GMT -8
71 F (22 C) here in North TX this afternoon - great to get such a temperature here in early Feb; many Pieridae and Nymphalidae flying. Hoping that the warm weather will persist through the rest of the month, into actual spring in March. There are usually some definite signs of spring here by the 4th week of Feb. I expect to see Anaea andria flying soon. Speaking of which, I wasn't able to find any caterpillars of this species last year. From the number of adults that I've sighted in my immediate area however, the host plant (Croton spp.) must be nearby. I could undoubtedly capture adults using a bait trap, but I'd be even more interested in having the experience of rearing some larvae. |
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Post by exoticimports on Feb 11, 2022 4:35:17 GMT -8
Spring starting? Not here. They just brought in a dump truck and bucket loader to remove snow since we have nowhere left to put it. I'll get back to you in two months.
Chuck
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Post by vabrou on Feb 11, 2022 8:29:42 GMT -8
Here is southeast Louisiana this has been a rather cold January into February. Typically over the past half century at this location winters can have as few as 2-3 nights of low temps (below freezing). But one thing I can always count on is that usually by March 1, the leps begin to be out in huge numbers in the light traps. Now my traps automatically operate regardless of temps or weather. Here is a light trap operating during a downpoar. Some things are best collected during rainy weather. Also my traps use no rain protection, MV lamps are pointed upward, and have done so for nearly 50 years, only lost 2 lamps in around 1000 used.  |
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Post by Crake on Feb 11, 2022 9:18:07 GMT -8
It’s been around 78* during the days here in Fresno. Saw a few monarchs and Vanessa atalanta at the coast and V. cardui in my front yard. A friend of mine also found 2 Sonora blues up in the mountains recently.
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Post by livingplanet3 on Feb 15, 2022 11:49:33 GMT -8
Saw the first Alypia octomaculata of the year this morning, and also noticed that the elm trees are getting ready to bloom; in my area, those are two of the first signs that spring is about to start. I expect that the pear trees will start blooming in about another week or so. I've been seeing Anaea andria on most days, now that the afternoon temperatures are reaching 65-75 F. If anyone has any advice on how to go about finding the caterpillars of this species, please let me know; I've not had any success in collecting any thus far. The host plant (Croton capitatum, C. texensis) must be here, though I've not been able to find these, either. It seems I might need to intentionally grow some in my yard to attract the butterflies. |
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Post by vabrou on Feb 15, 2022 13:51:59 GMT -8
livingplanet3 This is about the usual time that Alypia octomaculata begins to fly each spring. See my attached one-page pdf published about this species in 2007 in Louisiana. freely accessible Link: www.academia.edu/23721460/Alypia_octomaculata_Fabricius_1775_in_LouisianaRegarding Anaea andri, in Louisiana, I documented capturing 249 adults in five annual broods, first specimens appearing in this study on March 1 using fermenting fruit bait traps and a couple in UV light traps. Though, I have seen occasional adults flying about in all 12 months of the year, during the winter time adults appear on warmer sunny days. Here is a freely accessible link to my 2-page species account on this species in Louisiana. www.academia.edu/6029666/Anaea_andria_Scudder_1875_Lepidoptera_Nymphalidae_in_Louisiana |
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Post by livingplanet3 on Feb 16, 2022 12:31:57 GMT -8
livingplanet3 This is about the usual time that Alypia octomaculata begins to fly each spring. See my attached one-page pdf published about this species in 2007 in Louisiana. freely accessible Link: www.academia.edu/23721460/Alypia_octomaculata_Fabricius_1775_in_LouisianaRegarding Anaea andri, in Louisiana, I documented capturing 249 adults in five annual broods, first specimens appearing in this study on March 1 using fermenting fruit bait traps and a couple in UV light traps. Though, I have seen occasional adults flying about in all 12 months of the year, during the winter time adults appear on warmer sunny days. Here is a freely accessible link to my 2-page species account on this species in Louisiana. www.academia.edu/6029666/Anaea_andria_Scudder_1875_Lepidoptera_Nymphalidae_in_LouisianaMany thanks - that's an impressive assemblage of andria specimens. Have you ever found the larvae of this species? |
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Post by vabrou on Feb 16, 2022 12:42:05 GMT -8
livingplanet3 I have not searched for larvae of Anaea andri, though I have come across a grand total of 2 larvae during my lifetime. Operating hundreds of various traps for over a half century 24 hrs daily, 7-days every week, 52 weeks every year, I capture huge quantities of insects (billions), so I only rarely have ever searched for wild larvae. Things I have reared usually involved obtaining ova from captured adults, though I wanted to, I never got around to rearing A. andri. But apparently you are in NE Texas, and here is a photo of a collecting buddy of mine standing among a field of Croton in Caddo Parish, NW Louisiana in the month of August. This species A. andri, like numerous other nymphalid species are abundantly captured using fermenting fruit bait traps (blended up fruit, regular beer, sugar, water) Note: never ever use honey in your bait recipes regardless of what anyone tells you. I ran a series of 8 bait traps continuously for several decades, and it was possible to often capture 300+ butterflies per day in each of my traps here at my home location. Butterflies were bycatch in my bait traps, as I specifically ran these traps to capture hawkmoths and Catocala. Here is my my 1992 publication with detailed instructions on how to construct a live capture fruit bait trap. When the bait containers are filled 1 1/2 - 2 gallons of liquid bait, these traps are not portable. It is not necessary to more these traps to different locations for decades. This trap design allow room to capture a lot of specimens, though they should be emptied at least once every day, sometimes twice when there is a heavy volume of captures. Freely accessible link: www.lsuinsects.org/people/vernonbrou/pdf/1992.%2015.%20Extendended%20duty%20bait%20trap%20designed%20for%20continual.pdfVernon  |
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Post by vabrou on Feb 16, 2022 14:32:01 GMT -8
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Post by livingplanet3 on Feb 17, 2022 9:58:17 GMT -8
livingplanet3 I have not searched for larvae of Anaea andri, though I have come across a grand total of 2 larvae during my lifetime. Operating hundreds of various traps for over a half century 24 hrs daily, 7-days every week, 52 weeks every year, I capture huge quantities of insects (billions), so I only rarely have ever searched for wild larvae. Things I have reared usually involved obtaining ova from captured adults, though I wanted to, I never got around to rearing A. andri. But apparently you are in NE Texas, and here is a photo of a collecting buddy of mine standing among a field of Croton in Caddo Parish, NW Louisiana in the month of August. This species A. andri, like numerous other nymphalid species are abundantly captured using fermenting fruit bait traps (blended up fruit, regular beer, sugar, water) Note: never ever use honey in your bait recipes regardless of what anyone tells you. I ran a series of 8 bait traps continuously for several decades, and it was possible to often capture 300+ butterflies per day in each of my traps here at my home location. Butterflies were bycatch in my bait traps, as I specifically ran these traps to capture hawkmoths and Catocala. Here is my my 1992 publication with detailed instructions on how to construct a live capture fruit bait trap. When the bait containers are filled 1 1/2 - 2 gallons of liquid bait, these traps are not portable. It is not necessary to more these traps to different locations for decades. This trap design allow room to capture a lot of specimens, though they should be emptied at least once every day, sometimes twice when there is a heavy volume of captures. Freely accessible link: www.lsuinsects.org/people/vernonbrou/pdf/1992.%2015.%20Extendended%20duty%20bait%20trap%20designed%20for%20continual.pdfVernon <button disabled="" class="c-attachment-insert--linked o-btn--sm">Attachment Deleted</button> Many thanks for all of the above; I've now downloaded the PDFs. The trap that I'm currently using is almost identical to the one shown here - insectnet.proboards.com/post/71767/thread- except that my model lacks the cone. Mine is the " lip type" design, with an 8" aperture just above where the bait tray is placed. I'm not sure if I've ever seen the Croton sp. shown in your photo, but this or a related species must be present in my local area, since A. andria is common here. Thanks again. |
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oslari
Junior Member
My profile is of the great Hemileuca electra clio. Teenage lepidoptera hobbyist.
Posts: 43
Country: USA
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Post by oslari on Feb 18, 2022 16:21:10 GMT -8
Not at all! We just got hail and a dusting of snow, which is extremely unusual for the western San Gabriel Valley!
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Post by livingplanet3 on Feb 21, 2022 15:58:23 GMT -8
Thanks to a 2015 botanical survey, I was finally able to learn which wild Croton spp. occur in my immediate area:
Croton capitatus=var. lindheimeri
Croton glandulosus var. glandulosus
Croton monanthogynus
Croton texensis
Hopefully, I'll be able to locate patches of some of these plants, and along with them, the larvae of Anaea andria.
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Post by vabrou on Feb 24, 2022 6:54:08 GMT -8
livingplanet3 you earlier mentioned Alypia octomaculata. Here are a few I have on hand captured here at my home in SE Louisiana, USA  |
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oslari
Junior Member
My profile is of the great Hemileuca electra clio. Teenage lepidoptera hobbyist.
Posts: 43
Country: USA
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Post by oslari on Mar 1, 2022 16:35:44 GMT -8
It’s finally starting to get hot in the SGV. (Los Angeles County.) We even had a light snow, something really rare! Todays temperature was in the 80’s!
In terms of Lepidoptera, I’ve seen many gulf fritillary, red admirals, some monarchs, and even a male clouded sulfur. The sphinghids and saturniids are also back too. For example, a early male euryalus showed up early morning when I woke up to check the light, as well as my first White-Lined Sphinx of the year! I guess risking my sleep time was worth it after all. My reared Saturnia walterorum have been emerging, so far, not a pair yet…
I’ve taken advantage of the new year and planned outings/trips for Lepidoptera, very happy because my first planned moth hunt will be this month! I’ll also be in the mountains when the wildflowers are blooming, something I want to experience myself, they must be lovely and colorful.
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Post by livingplanet3 on Mar 1, 2022 18:05:56 GMT -8
77 F (25 C) here (North TX) today - saw a P. interrogationis for the first time this season. |
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