|
Post by clarus on Sept 18, 2021 16:43:24 GMT -8
Hi, I'm wondering if anybody collected H. Maia in East TN or Western NC and could share locations/observations? Thank you!
|
|
|
|
Post by clarus on Nov 9, 2021 19:52:53 GMT -8
Well, I found a seemingly ideal habitat for H. maia in Hamilton Co, TN: plenty of Quercus marilandica mixed with other oaks and pines. The day was pretty nice, one of the last truly warm days here, in the mid 70 F. Yet - no Hemileuca maia. The leaves of blackjack oak have obvious damage by caterpillars, but no adults were out. Maybe it's too early? Other species were flying: Euptoieta claudia Phoebis sennae Polygonia interrogationis
|
|
|
Post by exoticimports on Nov 10, 2021 8:55:21 GMT -8
|
|
evra
Full Member
Posts: 230
|
Post by evra on Nov 10, 2021 8:59:40 GMT -8
All of the Hemileucas are like that. You can drive for hours through what seems to be perfect habitat loaded with host plant and not see anything. Then you get to a specific spot that looks the same and they are everywhere. You are much more likely to see males than females, and the males of most species fly between 10 AM - 12 PM, so you have to get out in the field fairly early.
Feeding damage to oaks isn’t really evidence of their presence as many species of Lepidoptera and non-Lepidoptera likely feed on it. You would have to find the larvae in the spring to know for sure.
They are also really really hard to net on the wing. They fly very fast and erratically.
For these reasons, none of the Hemileucas are easy to get and they are all sought-after trophy species by collectors.
|
|
|
Post by trehopr1 on Nov 10, 2021 14:21:07 GMT -8
H. maia is a species which my friend once raised about 3 years ago. He remarked that the stinging spines of those caterpillars were worse than the spines of Io larvae.
He said he really "suffered" in trying to raise them through. I have never encountered these moths (any species); ever in the wild.
Also, the funny thing is that I have never encountered male promethea moth -- in daylight.
|
|
|
Post by trehopr1 on Nov 10, 2021 14:27:47 GMT -8
I have a feeling that there are probably more specimens of these moths that have been (bred) in collections; then there are of wild-caught examples...
|
|
|
evra
Full Member
Posts: 230
|
Post by evra on Nov 10, 2021 15:00:40 GMT -8
They are more of targets for western collectors because the diversity is highest in the Southwest. Although some like maia and nevadensis feed on oak and willows, and a few others can be reared on cherry, most feed on odd little bushes that grow in very remote areas. The larvae grow slowly, have stinging spines, and are both parasitoid and disease prone. Most fly at very specific times in the fall, so frequently it is a 200-300 mile drive one way to a spot where they fly, and usually they are the only thing to find at that spot during that time. They also undergo big population swings, so you can do everything right and you still might not find any for 2-3 years if you are in the middle of a population crash.
I’ve collected a lot of them, and reared H. electra, and I don’t consider any of them to be easy.
|
|
|
Post by exoticimports on Nov 10, 2021 18:49:21 GMT -8
I think evra is spot on. Early morning flyers, enclose at just the right time, and huge population swings. Plus only very locally common. Modern factors aside, I’d guess eastern populations were on the way to extinction, human influence or not. I’d guess the same for arctia caja.
Throw man in the mix, and surely the NY/ON (now) species/ ssp are virtually extirpated, almost extinct. (They got recognized/ elevated last year FYI).
Chuck
|
|
|
Post by clarus on Nov 10, 2021 19:34:03 GMT -8
Thanks everyone for the responses, much appreciated! I don't know how I managed to miss iNaturalist - I've used this app for the projects with my son. As for the Hemileuca, when I was living in the West, eglanterina and hera were relatively common, around Washoe Lake in NV. I also collected eglanterina around Mt. Shasta. Also collected neumogeni to the south, near the fine city of Johannesburg in Kern Co. With maia, it's a some sort of curse. There should be a lot of them, it was declared a pest at some point, and yet I haven't seen any, even though I live in the middle of the oak woodlands The weather is going to switch to thunderstorms tomorrow and bring cold front afterwards, so this might be the end of the season here. I might try my luck in Florida later.
|
|
|
Post by vabrou on Dec 12, 2021 16:16:30 GMT -8
Regarding Hemileuca maia, I have collected several thousands of maia over the past half century in my high-wattage light traps here in Louisiana. This species is univoltine with the one annual brood peaking around the second week of December here (NOW) in Louisiana. About 20 years ago I published a brief one page species account with phenogram. Easily and freely found on the web, link: www.lsuinsects.org/people/vernonbrou/pdf/2002.%2064.%20Hemileuca%20maia%20%28Drury%29%20in%20Louisiana.%20So.%20Lepid.%20News..pdf I have in past years posted hundreds of images of these daily light trap captures of maia, showing often up to 65 or so adult males and females taken nightly during the annual hatch here at my home in S.E. Louisiana. Last time I recall capturing these using a hand net was back around 1968-1969. Despite my traps operating in the very same locations for 41 years here at the Abita Entomological Study site, there has never been a reduction in population numbers attributed to over-collecting.
|
|