Search found 313 matches

by kevinkk
Thu Jul 20, 2023 2:41 pm
Forum: Lepidoptera
Topic: always learning- ova hatch times
Replies: 3
Views: 1569

always learning- ova hatch times

Recently I learned something new, I had a pair of Citheronia slpendens copulate and the female laid eggs. I kept some, and sold the rest, what was a surprise is the short amount of time it took the ova to hatch, even being kept at my room temperature of around 72- 76 f. Nine days. Perhaps that is ty...
by kevinkk
Thu Jul 13, 2023 5:16 pm
Forum: Field Reports
Topic: New Colias
Replies: 6
Views: 2523

Re: New Colias

I've got a few Colias, I have found that they're locally common at times. Last season we spent a few hours near Detroit Lake in OR and one or two would fly by at a time, seems like there was always one flittering about. Just like real estate, location and timing. That being said- finding that spot t...
by kevinkk
Wed Jul 12, 2023 4:50 pm
Forum: Field Reports
Topic: faded female Papilio
Replies: 2
Views: 1735

Re: faded female Papilio

Once I put her on the spreading board, she showed more yellow. Probably just a worn female rutulus, I did sleeve one of her ova, all I could find... and reach. Watching them deposit eggs is a pleasure. I don't think she laid any eggs once I brought her indoors, I have to check the flight cage and th...
by kevinkk
Mon Jul 10, 2023 2:27 am
Forum: Field Reports
Topic: faded female Papilio
Replies: 2
Views: 1735

faded female Papilio

My latest capture, in the yard here at home, I netted her after she deposited ova on the weeping willow. No need to go into the field. DSCN2118.JPG Papilio rutulus I assume, although I don't think I've seen one this pale. It took some looking, but today I found one of her ova, would've been easier y...
by kevinkk
Fri Jul 07, 2023 5:04 pm
Forum: Show Your Favorite Specimen
Topic: Gynandromorphs! Lucky find of Speyeria cybele
Replies: 7
Views: 958

Re: Gynandromorphs! Lucky find of Speyeria cybele

I'm confused. About this thread. Speyeria cybele in the Pacific Northwest, the males and females are sexually dimorphic in a dramatic manner. Is that simply the "leto" subspecies? Even Robert Pyle's Butterflies of Cascadia book leaves me in over my head apparently. I would have never consi...
by kevinkk
Tue Jul 04, 2023 3:28 am
Forum: Insect identification
Topic: Found in UK kitchen
Replies: 5
Views: 457

Re: Found in UK kitchen

doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl. There's no such thing as 1 roach, ant, spider or other random critter.
I'd try the bait, I have ants and that's the only thing to do, and I mix up the brands instead of just using 1
product. It's a bug world and we're in the way.
by kevinkk
Mon Jun 26, 2023 2:12 am
Forum: Lepidoptera
Topic: Shipping silkmoth cocoons
Replies: 1
Views: 1073

Re: Shipping silkmoth cocoons

you should be able to tell if the larva has formed a pupa by shining a strong light through the cocoon. if you can't see it for sure, simple clock watching will work also. My experience is that it takes about 10 days for a larva, of most Saturniidae to form a pupa after beginning it's cocoon. If I w...
by kevinkk
Wed Jun 14, 2023 4:48 pm
Forum: Insect Art
Topic: Caterpillar Chronicles: Unveiling the Art of Preserving Lepidopteran Larvae
Replies: 9
Views: 2141

Re: Caterpillar Chronicles: Unveiling the Art of Preserving Lepidopteran Larvae

It must still be early- I almost typed in "caterpillar" for my password. In any event, I have noticed caterpillars are very colorful and interesting. Sorry though, I have no interest in preserving them. Too much work and space required. Years ago I read instructions for inflating larva, I'...
by kevinkk
Wed Jun 14, 2023 4:41 pm
Forum: Open Topics
Topic: N. American fireflies threatened
Replies: 4
Views: 472

Re: N. American fireflies threatened

I remember seeing my first firefly. One could assume that all the issues concerning fireflies are a problem for a number of animals. Light pollution isn't something most people think about, the subdivision near me is lit up like an airport, and it's all empty vacation rentals, lets all go buy some m...
by kevinkk
Sun Jun 11, 2023 3:45 pm
Forum: Lepidoptera
Topic: Polyamorous Polyphemus?
Replies: 4
Views: 1237

Re: Polyamorous Polyphemus?

Besides being interesting the different species attracting the other, the times you quote for flight are completely different than what I have experienced here in Oregon, polyphemus flies early, maybe before midnight, and the euryalus always show up at 2 different times- the fertilized females fly e...
by kevinkk
Wed Jun 07, 2023 4:55 pm
Forum: Show Your Favorite Specimen
Topic: Rothschildia arethusa
Replies: 4
Views: 372

Re: Rothschildia arethusa

I have to confess to buying these as cocoons. I do like the Rothschildia genus, very nice moths, and the larvas are varied in appearance.
Hopefully I'll be able to breed these.
by kevinkk
Tue Jun 06, 2023 11:51 pm
Forum: Show Your Favorite Specimen
Topic: Rothschildia arethusa
Replies: 4
Views: 372

Rothschildia arethusa

Todays offering, a newly hatched female Rothschildia arethusa, resting on the Newton's cradle of cocoons
DSCN2113.JPG
DSCN2113.JPG (699.29 KiB) Viewed 372 times
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by kevinkk
Wed May 31, 2023 2:43 am
Forum: Open Topics
Topic: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization
Replies: 14
Views: 946

Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

this subject has come up before in some form, I'd never seen or heard of unit trays until it came up in a thread here. I think you don't find out what system is going to work best until it's a pain in the back to change it. I see the differences, and while I'll never need to worry about it, I like c...
by kevinkk
Fri May 26, 2023 5:00 pm
Forum: The Porch Light
Topic: well lit
Replies: 1
Views: 1773

well lit

I still need to get out with my uv light. Has anyone else noticed the amount of livestock posts? I think perhaps this season I've seen more posts than usual. Do we have more members or is it something else? I normally get out right after Memorial day, besides the people, our weather seems to start c...
by kevinkk
Thu May 18, 2023 3:31 pm
Forum: Show Your Favorite Specimen
Topic: volunteer Papilio
Replies: 4
Views: 489

Re: volunteer Papilio

Well, it's on a spreading board now. Actually kind of a special specimen for me, the larva was on the Salix babylonica right outside my door,
"catch" hardly does the animal justice.
by kevinkk
Thu May 18, 2023 3:27 pm
Forum: Open Topics
Topic: Why is collectors secret not used much anymore?
Replies: 11
Views: 705

Re: Why is collectors secret not used much anymore?

I like the Insectnet forum, I have no idea what the other forum is for. There is a variety of skill and interest levels among members. I am not a scientist, my interests are fun bugs and that's it, I keep the ones I like and they go into cases. That doesn't mean more specific threads and topics aren...
by kevinkk
Wed May 17, 2023 2:26 pm
Forum: Lepidoptera
Topic: Cabbage Butterfly: simple beauty, resilient, & adaptive.
Replies: 4
Views: 583

Re: Cabbage Butterfly: simple beauty, resilient, & adaptive.

Cabbage whites are the sign of warm weather and always the first butterfly I see in the spring, and the last in the fall. They do like nasturtiums, just a couple years ago, I found my first rapae larva on the nasturtiums. It wasn't too long ago I saw the first one flying around here, maybe a few wee...
by kevinkk
Tue May 16, 2023 5:50 pm
Forum: Show Your Favorite Specimen
Topic: volunteer Papilio
Replies: 4
Views: 489

volunteer Papilio

Hatched this morning, a P. rutulus adult from a larva I found here at home last season on the weeping willow. We don't get a lot of
Papilios right here next to the ocean, zelicaon is another we see now and then. Right now it's just cabbage whites flying outside.
20230516_094916.jpg
20230516_094916.jpg (756.27 KiB) Viewed 489 times
by kevinkk
Tue May 16, 2023 1:23 am
Forum: Open Topics
Topic: Monarch collapse: junk science or sloppy journalism?
Replies: 2
Views: 545

Re: Monarch collapse: junk science or sloppy journalism?

People notice butterflies. You can also use animal populations to support your agenda. I think 400 years ago, a lot of the area east of the rockies was probably covered in different vegetation, as easily as I'd assume milkweed can colonize an area, the butterflies would follow. I haven't seen a mona...
by kevinkk
Tue May 09, 2023 3:09 am
Forum: Open Topics
Topic: Beetle elytra
Replies: 9
Views: 834

Re: Beetle elytra

I have a small bottle of Barber's fluid- I think you'll need some luck to find it now, since it came from Biouip.

Well, you can learn something nearly everyday- there is a recipe online for the fluid, apparently developed in 1934.