leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Jun 3, 2018 5:34:17 GMT -8
I collected several Catocala illecta and Catocala micronympha in my Bait Traps on Saturday and in the Bait Trap in my yard this AM.
I cannot believe that I am the first. Some of you guys farther South, TN, NC, SC, GA & FL etc, should have seen or collected Catocala in early April.
And if this in any indication for this year, my Bait Traps were loaded. Asterocampa celtis & Clayton, Limenitis archippus & arthemus astyanax, Polygonia comma & interrogationis and Lethe anthedon. There were lots of both Noctuids and Erebidae. Also, a very large Long Horn Beetle.
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Post by jhyatt on Jun 3, 2018 16:37:58 GMT -8
Leroy, For my earlier May Catocala results, see my post under your "Indiana Travels" post in this category. But even in south GA, I've never taken a Catocala in mid-April. Early or mid-May is about the usual starting time there.
Cheers, jh
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Jun 3, 2018 18:20:33 GMT -8
This is slightly off topic. I have three (3) Bait Traps in my yard. I checked them at 8AM, no Catocala today, however, each of my Bait Traps had a small green Noctuid, Leuconycta diphteroides (9065). Altogether there were 50+ individuals including two (2) stunning female. I mounted eight (8) males and two (2) females.
There were several Sphecodina abbottii in each trap including three (3) females which I also mounted.
I checked them again about 7:30PM. Lots of butterflies, nothing special.
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Post by jhyatt on Jun 5, 2018 17:59:05 GMT -8
At last, my first TN mountain Catocala for 2018. Found a C. clintoni in my bait trap today. Covell says it's "often the first Catocala of the season in many localities". The man is right. jh
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Post by beetlehorn on Jun 6, 2018 14:26:23 GMT -8
Good catch jhyatt! Last night I was on the phone with Bill Garthe while I was checking my collecting sheet. I quickly saw two D. rubicunda moths, two Anisota virginiensis females, one Sibene stimulea (Saddleback caterpillar moth), one Euclea delphinii (Spiny oak-slug moth), one big female H. cecropia, several Sphinx moths, and one Catocala illecta. It was the first and only catocala Iv'e seen all season long. I usually have lots of C. micronympha, some C. ilia, and C. epione, with at least a few C. coccinata thrown in by now. I guess an entire genus can have it's bad years as well.
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Post by mothman27 on Jun 10, 2018 9:24:59 GMT -8
Already, wow! None yet for me. Just got some bait in my trap this week. Hopefully I will get some C. clintoni as in previous years.
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Jun 10, 2018 16:00:13 GMT -8
I went two days without checking my traps. I currently have six (6) Bait Traps, all Slotted Pan Type. I have three more in my yard. I collected hundreds of butterflies. Polyomia comme, Polygomia interrogationis, Nymphalis antiopa, Asterocampa clyton, Asterocampa celtis, Limenitis arthemis Astyanax, Enodia anthedon, Hermeuptychia and a single Celastrina ladon/neglecta. I have taken Celastrina species several times, always singletons. I only collected two species of Catocala. I found a dozen Catocala clintoni in traps along the North Elkhorn Creek. In a large wooded area near Stamping Ground (And yes, there is a Stamping Ground, Kentucky) I collected eleven Catocala illecta. I take three of four every year. To date I have collected sixteen (16) specimens. Not all were keepers. Photograph is an C. illecta on a spreading board. I also have 20+ pheromone traps set out. I checked all of them today and each contained dozens of Podosesia syringae (Lilac Borer). I also collected several Synanthedon exitiosa (Peach Tree Borer).
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Post by beetlehorn on Jun 10, 2018 19:40:53 GMT -8
I am seeing more Catocala moths in regards to numbers than last year. Yesterday I got two C. illecta and one Catocala coccinata (Scarlet Underwing), which was in perfect A1 condition.
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Post by jhyatt on Jun 11, 2018 16:34:14 GMT -8
Geez, except for that one clintoni, my trap has yielded nothing but Satyridae, Polygonias, Asterocampa (both), the odd Zale, and more nubilis. If it's still void of underwings tomorrow, I think I'll move it to another neck of the woods. The bait should be OK - it's the same bait that brought in a lot of Catocalas in May on the GA coast.
jh
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Post by jhyatt on Jun 14, 2018 5:18:10 GMT -8
I moved my trap from the woods to our fairly open neighborhood back yard; it brought in two C. grynea and an ultronia. Yawn. I'm moving it yet again. jh
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Jun 15, 2018 6:54:42 GMT -8
It was a warm night and this AM I was up early to check bait traps and pheromone traps. One of my best locations along the South Elkhorn Creek in Woodford County was LOADED. I found a have doze Catocala illecta and Catocala clintoni. Several Catocala micronympha and a very niceBellura obliqua. Most of the bait traps had some Catocala. Catocala ultronia, Catocala gryneus and Catocala habilis. All were males. Lots of Astrocampa, Polygonia, Limenitis and a lone female Anaea andria. It was in very good condition. I debated whether to keep it or let it fly. She is currently on a spreading board.
This appears to be the beginning of a very good year. The exception is Sessid moths. I have three Pheromone Traps near each bait traps. A lot of Paranthrene simulans, Synanthedon pictipes, Stnanthedon rileyana, Synanthedon exitiosa and Podeosesia syringae. I also collected a Alcathoe caudata with a net that was flying around one of the Pheromone Traps.
Not a bad morning.
Returned home, SS&S and we are off to the Waffle House. Greasy Steak & Eggs, medium rare and over light, hash browns scattered and soft, wheat toast and a Pecan Waffle. Washed it all down with lots of black coffee.
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Post by jhyatt on Jun 15, 2018 6:59:21 GMT -8
Question for Leroy: I know it's common practice to buy a lot of bananas or other fruit when one finds them cheap or discarded, and freeze them for later use in bait. I do this and it works fine... but a good batch of bait always takes about a week to really get effective, in my experience. Have you every tried making bait, getting it nicely fermented and ready for use, and then freezing it for instant use later on?
Curiously, jh
PS - I prefer the hashbrowns almost overcooked, in a patty, extra onions!
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Post by mothman27 on Jun 15, 2018 10:19:17 GMT -8
I went two days without checking my traps. I currently have six (6) Bait Traps, all Slotted Pan Type. I have three more in my yard. I collected hundreds of butterflies. Polyomia comme, Polygomia interrogationis, Nymphalis antiopa, Asterocampa clyton, Asterocampa celtis, Limenitis arthemis Astyanax, Enodia anthedon, Hermeuptychia and a single Celastrina ladon/neglecta. I have taken Celastrina species several times, always singletons. I only collected two species of Catocala. I found a dozen Catocala clintoni in traps along the North Elkhorn Creek. In a large wooded area near Stamping Ground (And yes, there is a Stamping Ground, Kentucky) I collected eleven Catocala illecta. I take three of four every year. To date I have collected sixteen (16) specimens. Not all were keepers. Photograph is an C. illecta on a spreading board. I also have 20+ pheromone traps set out. I checked all of them today and each contained dozens of Podosesia syringae (Lilac Borer). I also collected several Synanthedon exitiosa (Peach Tree Borer). In the photo, are the middle pins through the wings?
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Post by fishnbugz on Jun 18, 2018 9:56:29 GMT -8
I caught the first few C. minuta last night here in Nebraska, they're usually the first underwing here at home. One of them is a form parvula with extreme black on the forewing, I can't wait to see it off the boards. I had an unusually slow start this year at the light, I run a 400w MV starting in April but took very few moths. I finally got up to Moth-topia(also known as South Dakota) and brought 2 400 lights and a few traps. I hit big up there with a good list of sphingids topped by my earliest ever S. drupiferarum, plus some really cool Apantesis virgincula forms(outbreak year there for virgincula) and a few that I think are A. figurata. I caught a couple female Io's last week, but they both failed to give me any eggs; I see males at my light each year, but these are the first females. I'm at only 7 nights of collecting up there, but I have added a couple hundred specimens compared to about 25-30 for the whole season here in NE. It's about to pop now though, I've added traps this season and I will take a few rides into better habitat in the next few weeks.
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Jun 18, 2018 15:26:41 GMT -8
I just visit the apple orchards in Scott County, KY. They let me pick up the drops. They know what I use them for. I cut them up into small pieces and place them in gallon zip lock bags and freeze them. When ready to use, I remove them from the freezer, allow to thaw out, add peaches/bananas/nectarines, and a cup of sugar. Leave them sit out and let the sugar work. Then into the trap.
My favorite bait is Persimmons. I think I know where every Persimmon tree grows in Scott, Franklin and Owen counties. I collect/pick every Persimmon I can find. Cut them up and freeze them, Great bait from July into the early winter.
Another good fruit are Pawpaws. But try and find them. Raccoons love them. The other issue with PawPaws, they give me gas.
My wife claims fresh air gives me gas.
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