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Topic: overwintering Nymphalis anitopa | Author: kevinkk | Replies: 3 | Views: 27
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kevinkk
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Re: overwintering Nymphalis anitopa

by kevinkk » Sun Sep 15, 2024 12:27 am

Yes Paul, Nmyphalis anitopa, exactly what I am thinking about, I think it's too warm here in town, next to the Pacific, to hibernate them
outdoors, I have the larva sleeved now, and will probably have to put the pupa in a flight cage outdoors and see what happens once the
larva are finished eating, or maybe it simply doesn't matter, and I can hatch the butterflies indoors, where it's controlled, and then put the butterflies
in the veggie crisper with my other overwintering material. Probably overthinking this.
Topic: overwintering Nymphalis anitopa | Author: kevinkk | Replies: 3 | Views: 27
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Re: overwintering Nymphalis anitopa

by Paul K » Sat Sep 14, 2024 9:06 pm

I suppose you are talking about Nymphalis antiopa.
I never heard that they can overwinter as pupa, always adults. It may be tricky to put them to hibernation in warmer climate.
Topic: overwintering Nymphalis anitopa | Author: kevinkk | Replies: 3 | Views: 27
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overwintering Nymphalis anitopa

by kevinkk » Sat Sep 14, 2024 5:56 pm

I have some anitopa larva about to pupate. I know they can overwinter in varying climates as adults.
Not having any experience with the species, I looked it up on the internet. Amazingly enough, there is
conflicting information. I just read they will overwinter in any life stage, the source being from Manitoba.
So, the question that remains is this- can they overwinter as pupa? They are outdoors now, and without
better information are going to stay there until the bitter end of summer, which is somewhat ambiguous
around here, to make certain that adults will hatch or not before winter does set in.
Of course, I could bring them in and let the butterflies hatch, then store the adults, however, if they
can overwinter as pupa, I'd rather do that, the stock is from Iowa if that makes a difference.
Topic: Crushed insect, what is it? | Author: tecsinnet | Replies: 6 | Views: 84
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Re: Crushed insect, what is it?

by vabrou » Sat Sep 14, 2024 5:47 pm

search for boric acid roach tablets where you live. If you have one, you have a lots of others. The spray cans of neurotoxins wont continue to kill these roaches, but the boric acid tabs will continue to kill them for years.
Topic: Death by fungus | Author: vabrou | Replies: 2 | Views: 55
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Re: Death by fungus

by kevinkk » Sat Sep 14, 2024 5:44 pm

Amazing. I had to look it up. Apparently cordyceps occurs in the southeast USA.
Topic: Crushed insect, what is it? | Author: tecsinnet | Replies: 6 | Views: 84
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Re: Crushed insect, what is it?

by tecsinnet » Sat Sep 14, 2024 11:19 am

Thanks for your extensive answer. However the link doesn't work for me.
BTW I live in the netherlands, usually we rarely see cockroaches over here. So I have little experience with them and was wondering whether this one could already have laid eggs. Is it a yound one or adult enough for that?
Topic: Death by fungus | Author: vabrou | Replies: 2 | Views: 55
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Death by fungus

by vabrou » Sat Sep 14, 2024 1:59 am

An adult hawkmoth Darapsa myron landed on the side of one of my clearwing moth bucket traps, but never left.
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Fungus  9-2024 at AESS #1 35%.JPG
Fungus 9-2024 at AESS #1 35%.JPG (562.67 KiB) Viewed 55 times
Topic: Insect id | Author: drewdavis | Replies: 5 | Views: 318
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Re: Insect id

by vabrou » Sat Sep 14, 2024 1:50 am

FYI, there are more species of weevils than all other creatures on earth. Lots of species of oak trees here at my home, so many that I can capture hundreds of thousands of adults in my UV light traps every year. This year is going to be a banner year for weevils here at my home as I noticed earlier today the oak trees are loaded with acorns. jpg attached of one of the more than 100 species of weevils found here at my home in Louisiana.
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Topic: Crushed insect, what is it? | Author: tecsinnet | Replies: 6 | Views: 84
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Re: Crushed insect, what is it?

by vabrou » Sat Sep 14, 2024 1:36 am

Living here for the past 75 years in Louisiana, I can guarantee that every person in the state deals with these 6-legged bastards 12 months every year. You can find hundreds of products out there to get rid of these roaches. Roaches are primarily nocturnal and most species fly about. Here at my home we have 6 or more different species, the largest Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus) a common pest that enters homes was actually introduced in to N.A. from Africa. All 6 of these species here at my home normally habit the surrounding woodlands. Only a few are pests get into homes.

Most of the species which are pest to humans, including the very large P. americana can be controlled without spraying deadly toxic poisons throughout your home using easily obtainable Boric acid. About 40 years ago I ordered a case of https://www.amazon.com/Harris-Tablets-Kille, boric acid in an easily and safe to handle form (tablets) which you simply place 2-3 tablets behind your appliances, in pantry's, in closets, in hidden areas. Works better than all other products found today and not really expensive, just toss around and forget about it. I still have half of the case I ordered 40 years ago, unused today. All of those roach sprays are very destructive and dangerous to spray in your living areas, as they use neurotoxins deadly to all living creatures. And the roach spray toxic poisons are delivered usually using petroleum liquids, not good for wood and plastics in your home.

Plectoptera picta is a tiny roach species (jpg attached) that I first collected here in Louisiana back in the 1970s, that when I obtained an ID on, it so happens that back then there were only 4 adults known to have been captured in the USA. Well over the past half century I have personally captured tens of thousands of this tree dwelling species in my high-wattage UV light traps. Jpg attached of some pinned and labeled adults. Over the past half century I have placed hundreds of specimens of P. picta in several US museums.

Equally surprising is that most persons living in the Gulf states have never ever seen the most common roach that occurs here. It never enters buildings or homes and stays hidden among trees, and is totally pastel green in color. There are other brown species which are also found among leaf liter which never enters homes here.
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Box #21-218 coleoptera + 231 Plectoptera picta tot-449 60%.jpg
Box #21-218 coleoptera + 231 Plectoptera picta tot-449 60%.jpg (529.54 KiB) Viewed 55 times
Topic: Crushed insect, what is it? | Author: tecsinnet | Replies: 6 | Views: 84
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Re: Crushed insect, what is it?

by tecsinnet » Fri Sep 13, 2024 11:50 pm

Do you have any idea whether I should expect there are more in my kitchen? As of the stories I know about cockroaches they spread quite quickly.
Topic: Color manipulation? | Author: livingplanet3 | Replies: 3 | Views: 81
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Re: Color manipulation?

by livingplanet3 » Fri Sep 13, 2024 8:03 pm

Yes, and also, the discal cells of the hindwings would be darker in a true urvillianus, and the spots somewhat different in form.
Topic: Color manipulation? | Author: livingplanet3 | Replies: 3 | Views: 81
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Re: Color manipulation?

by mothman55 » Fri Sep 13, 2024 7:51 pm

Agree, likely altered the colour in an editing program. Obviously not legit.
Topic: Crushed insect, what is it? | Author: tecsinnet | Replies: 6 | Views: 84
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Re: Crushed insect, what is it?

by livingplanet3 » Fri Sep 13, 2024 6:21 pm

Topic: Color manipulation? | Author: livingplanet3 | Replies: 3 | Views: 81
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Color manipulation?

by livingplanet3 » Fri Sep 13, 2024 6:18 pm

I assume that this photo is of a green Ornithoptera priamus that's been digitally altered, or perhaps even the specimen has been physically color-manipulated, to look like a blue O. priamus urvillianus? I've never seen an urvillianus that had a branching line running along the anterior margin of the forewing's discal cell -

https://st3.depositphotos.com/1179847/1 ... olated.jpg

I've only seen such a marking in forms of priamus such as poseidon, etc.
Topic: RIP Werner Zoeller | Author: adamcotton | Replies: 8 | Views: 1364
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Re: RIP Werner Zoeller

by nomihoudai » Fri Sep 13, 2024 4:55 pm

I quickly logged in to express my condolence about the passing of Werner. I will never forget our first handshake at Seraing insect fair in Belgium when I had the luck to be placed next to his booth. In 2016 I visited him and Sabine in Costa Rica and had an amazing time seeing what they had built there. Werner is one of the few that have lived life to their fullest. RIP.
Lepidoptera distribution maps: lepimap.click
Topic: Crushed insect, what is it? | Author: tecsinnet | Replies: 6 | Views: 84
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Crushed insect, what is it?

by tecsinnet » Fri Sep 13, 2024 4:44 pm

I found this insect hiding on my counter, under a cutting board. When I lifted up the cutting board it appeared and moved to hide against a bottle. I lifted up the bottle where it sat for a moment, so I crushed it before it could move. Can anybody still tell what it is?
20240913_153742.jpg
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Topic: Don't collect in Sri Lanka! | Author: adamcotton | Replies: 4 | Views: 91
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Re: Don't collect in Sri Lanka!

by adamcotton » Fri Sep 13, 2024 3:32 pm

wollastoni wrote: Fri Sep 13, 2024 10:08 am Don't collect without permits abroad... too dangerous.
It depends on the country. Many are definitely a complete 'no, no' for collecting nowadays, whereas others are absolutely safe as long as you don't collect in protected areas such as national parks, and don't catch protected species. If you want to collect in another country check up carefully on the regulations, both for collecting, export and import to your own country before deciding where you want to go.

Of course, countries that do not allow foreigners to collect also don't allow collecting by locals; so it's a good idea to contact a local in the country you would like to go to to find out the situation - but don't take everything said as 'absolute fact' without corroboration.

Adam.
Topic: Don't collect in Sri Lanka! | Author: adamcotton | Replies: 4 | Views: 91
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Re: Don't collect in Sri Lanka!

by wollastoni » Fri Sep 13, 2024 10:41 am

BTW please read the Italian article (it is much more complete). Use deepl.com to translate it if needed.
Topic: Don't collect in Sri Lanka! | Author: adamcotton | Replies: 4 | Views: 91
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Re: Don't collect in Sri Lanka!

by wollastoni » Fri Sep 13, 2024 10:08 am

A chinese guy had the same experience few years ago. He spent few days in jail, time to negotiate the fine.

They won't be charged $200,000 but it will cost them a lot, + their reputation. His photo is now everywhere in Italy : https://corrieredibologna.corriere.it/n ... bxlk.shtml

Don't collect without permits abroad... too dangerous.
+ it ruins our reputation and may trigger other anti-science laws.
Topic: Don't collect in Sri Lanka! | Author: adamcotton | Replies: 4 | Views: 91
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Don't collect in Sri Lanka!

by adamcotton » Fri Sep 13, 2024 9:49 am

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgwgn4ww0jo

Butterfly thieves handed $200,000 fine

An Italian father and his son have been fined 60 million Sri Lankan rupees ($200,000; £150,000) for trying to smuggle hundreds of endemic insects - including 92 species of butterflies - out of a safari park.
Rangers at Yala National Park arrested Luigi Ferrari, 68, and his 28-year-old son Mattia on 8 May this year after they were found with jars containing the insects.
The men had lured the insects with animal attractants and planned on using wax sachets to chemically preserve them, investigations show.
They were convicted in early September of illegal collection, possession and transportation of the insects, and handed the highest-ever fine for wildlife crime in the country.

(more information on the page).

Adam.