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Post by beetlehorn on Jun 24, 2012 19:50:00 GMT -8
In regards to the last thread I started, "Fun with Catocalas", I must say it has been a rather good collecting season so far using my blacklight setup. I tried sugaring, but with very scant results. So since things are starting to slow down at my blacklight, I thought it would be interesting to try another Catocala collecting technique, namely "Tree Tapping". During any given time of day, this technique can work quite well. I go from tree to tree, and either tap it with my net handle or just wwave my net over the tree trunk. Sometimes the moths will take off without anything further than your approach, and sometimes you can spot one resting (usually head down) on the bark of a tree. I found that darker colored trees such as Red Oak or Pignut Hickory hold the majority of Catocalas. I usually encounter about 20 moths per hour, sometimes two or three will be on the same tree. Then I just watch them fly to the next tree, I mark it, and approach very cautiously, and with a slow yet deliberate motion I get my net within a foot or less, gently tap the tree with the net ring and snap it forward to capture the moth. Sometimes I can capture one with just my killing jar, usually one that Iv'e spotted without flushing it first. So when things get a bit slow using conventional methods, give this a try. You might be pleasantly surprized. After all you know the old saying..."there's more than one way to skin a cat!". In this case a Cat-ocala.  Tom Attachments:
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Post by beetlehorn on Jun 25, 2012 4:35:53 GMT -8
Of all the species I encountered, Catocala ilia has been the most common by far. Other species so far have been C. micronympha, C. insolabilis, C. dejecta, C. lacrymosa, C. paleogama, C. epione, C. retecta, and sometimes you get the less common ones such as this Catocala innubens, Form"hinda" in the photo. As the season progresses some species will fade out and new ones will emerge. One drawback to netting noctuid moths is the loss of thoracic hair, but as my friend Bill Garthe and I have discovered, this is easily repaired. Tom Attachments:
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Post by beetlehorn on Jun 30, 2012 21:16:32 GMT -8
Well today it was 108deg.F. I decided to return to the spot where I had an encounter with one of the rarest Catocalas, namely Catocala sappho. I made my way up a hardwood draw and had collected a few already including a very nice Catocala innubens form "hinda". As I crossed the draw to the other side I spotted a few nice Hickories, so I approached them and without looking the trees over really well I started tapping the first one. I immediately saw two moths launching off the tree. One landed in front of me, and it was one of those "Oh My God!" moments. I recognized the ghostly white forewings, and rust colored spots.... it was Catocala sappho! I got my jar out and slowly moved toward the moth, until I was at a mere three inches. When I made my move it took off escaping my kill jar. Then it circled around the tree and landed not six inches from where it was before. So I decided to use my net, I figured if the moth were "scalped" by the net, I could repair it later. Well with a quick stroke I had it in the net bag, or so I thought....as I was fumbling for my syringe the moth found a fold in the net and escaped. This time it took off for parts unknown! That was another one of those "Oh My God!" moments, and anyone that has ever field collected knows exactly what Im' talking about. The next day I returned to the same woods I hunted before, hoping to possibly get another chance, if not the same moth, perhaps another. Anyhow I was chasing another C. innubens, and as I watched where I though it landed I decided to try again. As I approached the tree carefully I spotted a gray/white arrowhead shaped moth at rest. It couldn't be, how many chances do you get!?! Well there it was, another Catocala sappho, not 200 hundred yards from the previous encounter. This one was a bit darker, with slight grayish wing margins. This time I played it cool. I used a device I can screw my kill jar onto, that has a bigger opening for catching these moths. I slowly placed the catching device over the moth and the rest is history. I was rather elated. Then to top it off I spotted two C. innubens form "scintillans" at the base of a tree(not together) in different locations, and my catocala catcher performed flawlessly. I had just collected some of the most prized moths in the same afternoon. Here I have a photo of Catocala lacrymosa Form"evelina", yet another prize for any Catocala collector. Now I can hardly wait to get back in the woods. Tom Attachments:
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Post by beetlehorn on Jul 2, 2012 9:14:05 GMT -8
Yesterday Jose, (another Insectnet member) and I met up and went Catocala hunting in some new territory. We found a lush area between two ridges that had some very old growth hardwood trees, such as oak, hickory, sycamore, walnut and maple. It was here that we found a Catocala collectors' honey hole. I can't recall how many Catocala moths we encountered, but it was in the hundreds! I went to one huge walnut tree, and it must have held a good dozen moths. We collected C. lacrymosa, C. flebilis, C. obscura, C. maestosa, C. innubens(three different forms including form "scintillans"), C. subnata, C. nebulosa, C. paleogama, C. retecta, and a few others. It was one of the best collecting sessions Iv'e had. Attachments:
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Post by bugboys3 on Jul 2, 2012 14:01:03 GMT -8
Very nice Tom, I can't wait to get out and start looking for Catocala. I am getting way too late of a start this summer. Too many things going on for some reason.
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Post by beetlehorn on Jul 5, 2012 8:42:06 GMT -8
Since I wrote the last thread, I decided to go back in search of more catocala species in the hopes of encountering a few rarities. After hiking through hardwood forest, and seeing hundreds of Catocalas, I did finally manage to get Catocala nebulosa, and Catocala sappho. I also managed to get a few photos and some video footage. At first glance C. sappho is quite a sight, to say the least! Tom Attachments:
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Post by beetlehorn on Jul 5, 2012 8:44:52 GMT -8
Here is Catocala nebulosa. In my opinion, one of the most handsome Catocalas. Tom Attachments:
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Post by kingha on Jul 7, 2012 2:45:35 GMT -8
In the North
The highlights of Catocala have been leadplant feeders. On June 22 C. abbreviatella and C. amestris were out in fair numbers West of Madison, WI. All were fairly fresh. All amestris were at bait , while the abbreviatella were mixed between bait, light, one netted on leadplant flowers, and one in the day on red cedar.
On June 30 in Grant Co.,WI 12 C. abbreviatella at light, and only one at bait (bait not working very well overall). These were all showing some wear. I expect C. whitneyi may be out by now.
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Post by kingha on Jul 8, 2012 12:25:46 GMT -8
Catocala abbreviatella on Red Cedar Attachments:
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Post by kingha on Jul 8, 2012 12:28:06 GMT -8
Catocala amestris Attachments:
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Post by rayrard on Jul 8, 2012 16:04:21 GMT -8
beetlehorn: what area of the country are you collecting in. i haven't had much luck at all in coastal SC with the blacklight. The problem is that there is a LOT of maritime forest and pine forest (longleaf/loblolly) in my area and I may not have been in ideal Catocala habitat.
Is there a particular habitat that is best for Catocala? I heard hickories and regular oaks (not live oak) is best, and I guess wet vs. dry isn't a concern. Are you getting best results in the heat of the day or at dusk? Do you get much luck at sunset or other times?
I was early for Catocala up in PA last week, but I'm hoping they will be out in force down here. I've only gotten ilia, ultronia, alabamae, and the amica lookalikes.
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Post by beetlehorn on Jul 8, 2012 19:35:15 GMT -8
Wow! Those are some handsome moths Harry. I never encounter either of those species here in Tennessee. In response to the questions, I am finding "pockets" of Catocalas between hardwood ridges. Several different Hickory species, as well as Oaks, Poplars, Elm, Ash, Walnut, and Maple. Interestingly I find the majority of moths resting on the darker trees, and always on the shady side of the tree. The deepest and darkest hollows are the best. There is some hiking and sweating involved, but if you are a moth collector, the ongoing encouters keep you pushing ahead. Most of the moths I encountered were either on Walnut or Hickory trees. The photo here is of a resting Catocala neogama. Attachments:
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Post by homard on Jul 9, 2012 4:35:58 GMT -8
Tom, That is nearly exactly the same technique that I've used all my life to collect Catocalas  Walking cautiosly within the forest. Spot a specimen resting on a tree's trunk (I have been able to see them sitting!) Swing a net, and - voila! Hope to get to the forest this week, so we'll see if I'll be able to found something. I expect C.sponsa in the sparse oak forest. With C. nupta it's our commonest species (still beautiful!). For C. nupta one should go across Volga to the flood-plain forest of Poplars and Aspens. I dunno if and when I'll be able to get there, sorry. Good luck for you Catocala hunters of this thread! Alex |
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Post by rayrard on Jul 9, 2012 13:01:22 GMT -8
Wow! Those are some handsome moths Harry. I never encounter either of those species here in Tennessee. In response to the questions, I am finding "pockets" of Catocalas between hardwood ridges. Several different Hickory species, as well as Oaks, Poplars, Elm, Ash, Walnut, and Maple. Interestingly I find the majority of moths resting on the darker trees, and always on the shady side of the tree. The deepest and darkest hollows are the best. There is some hiking and sweating involved, but if you are a moth collector, the ongoing encouters keep you pushing ahead. Most of the moths I encountered were either on Walnut or Hickory trees. The photo here is of a resting Catocala neogama. ah, you are in the mountains... I'm sure it's bit different in the flat coastal plain as to trees types and habitat. There are no "ridges" here |
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Post by oehlkew on Jul 10, 2012 15:49:53 GMT -8
Many stunning pictures. I request permission to post images and data credited to respective photographers, to my North American Catocala pages at www.silkmoths.bizland.com/catocala.htmlI also hope to expand that site, which currently has pictoral checklists for all US states and Ccanadian provinces with Catocala populations, to a world wide site to cover all of the Northern Hemisphere. Images and data would be appreciated. All images that I post are credited to respective photographers and remain property of those photographers. Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com |
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Tom 
Walking cautiosly within the forest. Spot a specimen resting on a tree's trunk (I have been able to see them sitting!) Swing a net, and - voila! 