Catocala Season 2016

[Deleted]

Alright guys it's that time of year again. While running my light sheet I looked in my bait trap and saw one of the "smalls" enjoying some banana apple bait.

[Deleted]

Took two C. illecta, two C. Ilia, one C. minuta, and ten C. verilliana at my light sheets in western OK last week.

[Deleted]

Had another catocala in the trap this morning but it escaped before I could catch it. It was bouncing off the inside of the trap like a super ball which was too much for me to keep up with at 4:30am

[rayrard]

Collected or saw 36 (plus 1 probable neogama I missed on bait) species of Catocala last year. It will be difficult to beat that this year without a jair/herodias trip, but I missed relicta, unijuga, meskei, and briseis.

[leptraps]

What part of the USA do you collect. C. Herodia? I have only found it in the mountains of western Virginia. I have been given locations with a "guaranteed to get it" promise and have never seen it. I have bait traps in a area of Meadi County, KY where it was taken in the early 1980's.

I have managed several dozen ellecta and a single C. fredericki. I have 28 bait traps set out. Some in Pine Barrens, remnant prairie, lots of several sphingidea, Acronicta and a good number of Nymphalids, Satyridea and Noctuids. Although I do not colllect beetles, I have found lots of Long Horns.

[Jonn]

Caught my first Cat (C. grynea) of the season here in Dorchester County, Maryland. Currently only using my Slotted Pan trap with just rotting bananas/peaches and it seems to be just as effective as a fruit/brown sugar liquid mix. Going to set up my other two traps and fill them with other types of fruit i never tried last year (apples, blackberries, plums, etc) in hope of getting the Blueberry/Chokeberry feeders (andromedae, sordida, praeclara, etc) i missed last year.

[Deleted]

After a warm and humid night I expected to have a moth or two in my trap this morning but I got nothing. I think I'm going to try some cantaloupe bait I made up. I did get a surprise yesterday while I was removing some butterflies from the trap a small bumblebee stung me on the finger

[Deleted]

Collected the first catocala of the year this morning. It was the only one in the trap.

[Jonn]

Had only one in my trap also but my 2nd species of the year, C. ultronia. It's still pretty early here though and i don't usually see many until the first week of July

[leptraps]

I have only seen seven (7) species of Catocala this year:

C. ultronia
C. clintoni
C. coccinata
C. gryneus
C. ellecta
C. insolabilis
C. ilia

I have had lots of:

Asterocampa celtis
Asterocampa clyton
Nymphalis antiopa
Hermeuptychia sosybius
Cyllopsis gemma
Enodia anthedon

I also had my first encounter with snake. 3 or 4 foot rattlesnake this AM.

I have a bait trap at the end of a dead end road along a creek. Great spot!! However, it is also a great spot for lovers. I see condums hanging from bushes every time I Check the trap. This AM, a good size (BA) pair of panties.

And NO, I did not attempt to use any of it in my bait traps. I do have my limits. And YES, I did stop at a Waffle House on my way over to Perry County, IN this AM. I must say, there was a waitress there with a really big tosh. Painties could be her's. I wanna puke........

[leptraps]

Traveled to Rowan and Bath counties to check my Bait Traps and pheromone traps this AM (Friday). All the traps were loaded. Enodia anthedon, SatyrodesHermeuptychia hermes appalacia, Cyllopsis gemma, Megisto cymela, Asterocampa celtis, A. clyton, Nymphalis antiopa, Anaea andria (Very worn male, hibernator no doubt) And lots of small Catocala and very few large ones. and Zales galore. I let hundreds just fly as I could not sort the traps out with so many moths entrapped. I checked these traps on Tuesday before the rain and again on Wednesday due to the high wind during Tuesday night. All the traps survived.

The Pheromone Traps produced lots of Sesiids but nothing new.

And yes, I did stop at a Waffle House on my way to check out a new location in Fleming County. Egg's over light, hash browns scattered and soft, whole wheat toast and extra crispy bacon follow with a double Pecan Waffle and washed it all down with lot's of black coffee.

The location in Fleming County was very remote. However, I ran into a Fleming County Sheriff Deputy and he told me to be careful, This is a HIGH ACTIVITY drug area. Butit is remote. I will return Monday to set out some traps. I will put the Hog Leg under the seat, just in case.

[Deleted]

Had a single moth in the trap last night. I saw it while I was running my light sheet. Appeared to be C. epione but I will never know for sure since it escaped sometime during the night. At least I collected a perfect pair of IO moths so the night wasn't a total bust.

[Jonn]

I put out my 2nd trap last night and caught 2 ilia. Everything seems to be coming out a week or so earlier than last year.

[Deleted]

According to my records from last year I'm a couple weeks behind. Must be Anea season too I took a very tattered female out of my trap today.

[Deleted]

Just collected a C. epione. Hopefully it was the same one that escaped last night. I used my "bait blocker" which is the cardboard circle from a Jacks pizza. It fits nicely in a flat bottom leptrap and reduces the chances of escape when the specimens go crazy