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Post by bugboys3 on Jan 19, 2015 11:22:12 GMT -8
This past July my son and I had the good fortune to spend a week in Arizona collecting. We had 3 great nights at various spots and a couple of afternoons collecting. We had just hoped that it would be half as good as many people have reported in the past. I would say that it exceeded our expectations. The trip wouldn't have been as successful if it weren't for the help of some people and many of the great people that we met that were out there for the same reason.
Thanks to Bill G. for encouraging us to go and thanks to Evan R. for the guidance as to exactly where to go. I would also like to thank the people that we met and learned a lot from. I think my son and I were the most amature collectors out there. Thanks to Bedros, Eddie, & Terry from California. Thanks to Bruce, Ray, & Dave from the University of Arizona. Thanks to Chuck from Wisconsin and Greg from Texas for making this a memorable trip. I can't wait to go back.
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Post by bugboys3 on Jan 19, 2015 11:41:03 GMT -8
This is my Saturnid box with a couple of extras: Column 1 (top to bottom): #1-7 Citheronia splendens sinaloensis, #8-9 Ascalapha odorata #10 Dyschemia howardi Column 2: #1-4 Rothschildia cincta, #5 Eupackardia calleta, #6 Hyalophora gloveri Column 2A: Sphingacampa montana, D. howardi Column 2B: Sphingacampa hubbardi, D. howardi Column 3: Antheraea oculea, Sphingacampa raspa Column 4: Eacles oslari Column 5: #1-2 Automeris patagoniensis, #3-7 A. cecrops panima, #8-11 A. iris hesselorum, #12 Agapema anona, #13 E. oslari
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Post by bugboys3 on Jan 19, 2015 12:01:47 GMT -8
This is my Sphingid & misc. box Column 1: #1-4 Pachysphinx occidentalis, #5-6 Manduca rustica, #7-10 M. florestan Column 2: #1-2 Eumorpha typhon, #3 E. achemon, #4-5 M. sexta, #6-7 M. quinquemaculata, #8 M. muscosa, #9 Agria cingulata, #10 M. florestan Column 3: #1-3 Sphinx dollii, #4 Sagenosoma elsa, #5 Sphinx libocedrus, #6 Paonias myops, #7 Smerinthus saliceti, #8-10 Xylocopa falco, #11-12 Hyles lineata, #13 Lintneria istar, #14 L. smithi, #15 Ceratomia amyntor At bottom between columns 1&2 Ceratomia sonarensis? Column 4: #1-6 Dichogaster coronada, #7-9 Gloveria arizonensis dolores, #10-11 Astylis biedermani, #12-13 Erinnyis ello Column 5: #1-3 Arachnis aulaea, #4 Grammia agre, #5-6 G. incorrupta, #7 Estigmene acrea, #8-9 Ectypia clio, #10 Euchaetes antica, #11 Prolimacodes trigona, #12-13 Bertholdia trigona, #14 Miracavira brillians, #15 Catacola piatrix, #16 Battus philenor, #16 Phoebis sennae Column 6: #1 unidentified, #2 Gerrodes minatea, #3-4 Tylope sp., #5-6 Apatalodes pudefacta, #7 unidentified, #8 unidentified, #9 Pseudhapigia brunnea, #10 & 11 unidentified, #12 Helicoverpa zea, #13-16 Dymasia dymas, #17-18 Chlosyne lacinia Bottom corner: Papilio multicaudata
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Post by bugboys3 on Jan 19, 2015 12:27:45 GMT -8
   
C. sonarensis ?, D. howardi, E. achemon, L. istar & L. smithi
M. rustica 
Sphinx dolli, Sagenosoma elsa, & Sphinx libocedrus  |
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Post by 58chevy on Jan 19, 2015 13:51:39 GMT -8
I'm glad to see that Arizona is still a great collecting area, following the fires of a few years ago. I haven't been there since 2004. Your pictures make me want to go back soon. One reason I haven't returned is the safety issue, with the drug wars along the border. Did you feel safe when you were there?
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Post by bugboys3 on Jan 19, 2015 16:52:35 GMT -8
I'm glad to see that Arizona is still a great collecting area, following the fires of a few years ago. I haven't been there since 2004. Your pictures make me want to go back soon. One reason I haven't returned is the safety issue, with the drug wars along the border. Did you feel safe when you were there? There was no time that we felt unsafe. The first night at Copper Canyon we were pretty much by ourselves. Border patrol rode past us several times that night. The other two nights we were close to other collectors. If I were a smuggler I would not walk towards bright lights anyhow. |
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Post by Chris Grinter on Jan 19, 2015 17:21:23 GMT -8
Correct me if I'm wrong - but the only incident involving illegals and a civilian was on Falcon Lake, Texas? I think that's where a boater/fisherman was shot by someone in a case of mistaken identity (=cartel member thought it was another cartel guy). I have heard lots of anecdotal reports of "I carry a gun because I came across hostile illegals", but those stories never seem to actually involve violence and the gun wasn't needed in the first place.
Yes, Border Patrol encounters violence in some of our collecting spots, but they are brave officers who are chasing down the smugglers. I've encountered lots of force along the border region and lots of illegals. The force has always been from border patrol assuming I'm up to something bad, and the illegals are always nice people who want nothing to do with you or are in desperate need of help and want you to call for help.
No reason to avoid Arizona!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2015 17:33:23 GMT -8
Bugboys3,
Glad to see and read u had a great time. Looks like u done good.......nice haul.
I spent almost fiour weeks in AZ in 2012-2013 and was cautious, but no problems happened. I was carrying, but the Border Patrol was around in most places and they were very nice and diligent to protect the area. I can't wait to return, for those nights were indeed magical.
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Post by exoticimports on Jan 21, 2015 14:16:30 GMT -8
Where else were you? Ten years ago I was in Pena Blanca, I wonder if that is still good? We didn't get as much variety as you, the rains were late.
Chuck
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Post by bugboys3 on Jan 21, 2015 18:33:29 GMT -8
Where else were you? Ten years ago I was in Pena Blanca, I wonder if that is still good? We didn't get as much variety as you, the rains were late. Chuck We were at Copper Canyon the first night. That's where we caught the D. howardi, X. falco, M. muscosa, and many more including many beetles which I will post some pictures of next week when I have some time. California Gulch where we caught E. typhon, A. odorata, R. cincta, P. occidentalis and many others. And Harshaw where we caught E. calleta, all 3 Automeris, E. oslari, C. splendens, and H. gloveri. We spent an afternoon around Patagonia and Harshaw trying to catch a few butterflies and misc. bugs. And an afternoon at Madera Canyon where my son caught the P. multicaudata and we caught several different beetles. We got rained out trying Copper Canyon later in the week. When I go back some time in the future I would like to night collect at Madera Canyon because I found the diversity of insects during the day to be really interesting. |
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evra
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Posts: 230
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Post by evra on Jan 23, 2015 14:07:24 GMT -8
I think it's as good as it's ever been. I rarely collect in Pena Blanca any more just because the diversity is kind of low. It's near a paved road and there are other collectors, but once you have 100 Automeris cecrops pamina, what are you going to do with any more?
I think a lot of collectors have gotten more savvy as far as host plants go and therefore collect in better spots. Pena Blanca is surprisingly good considering the vegetation is really nothing special.
It was kind of an odd year. A few species came in really strong from Mexico and then it all died out fast. The Hyles lineata were so numerous as to be a major problem for about a week. They were about 2-3 inches thick on my sheet and just wrecking everything in CA Gulch. I think I only took about 5 moths that night.
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Post by beetlehorn on Jan 26, 2015 2:04:12 GMT -8
Arizona holds great memories for me as well. The first time I was there as a kid at the young age of 7. Then in 2011 my wife and I visited Arizona and collected with Evan. The next year I joined up with Evan again and collected for five days in southern Az. What a place! Not only did I encounter so many different species of insects, but the environment was just so much different from what I see here in Tennessee, it was like traveling to another country. Both trips would not have been nearly as successful, nor as memorable without my friend Evan. I only hope I can return the favor some day. Tom
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Post by bugboys3 on Jan 28, 2015 11:32:32 GMT -8
Some of the beetles we collected: Row #1. 1-6 Dichomitus colonicus, 7-8 Parabyrsopolis chihuahuae, 9-14 Orizabus clunalis Row #2. 1 Polyphylla decemlineata, 2 Chrysina woodii (this was given to me by someone from Texas), 3-7 C. beyeri, 8-12 C. gloriosa, 13 Dyscinetus picipes Row #3. 1-3 Strategus aloeus, 4-5 Derobrachus hoverei, 6 D. germinates, 7 Lochmaeocles marmoratus, 8-9 Enaphalodes niveitectus, 10 Aneflomorpha sp.? 11 unidentified Row#4. 1. Callisthenes affinis, 2-4 unidentified, 5 Pasimachus depressus, 6-7 Megasoma punctulatum, 8 Cotinus mutabilis, 9 Eleodes obuscurus, 10-13 unidentified Row #5. 1 Melanactes densus, 2-3 Chalcolepidius lenzi, 4-5 Harpalas katiae, 6 unidentified, 7-8 blister beetle, 9 Pyrota akhurstiana, 10-13 Eleodes tricostatus, 14-15 Agrilis sp. Row #6. 1-5 Gibbifer californicus, 6-11 Leptinotarsa haldemani, 12-18 unidentified
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Post by bugboys3 on Jan 28, 2015 11:39:32 GMT -8
#1. Derobrachus hoverei & germinatus #2. Dichotomius colonicus #3. Chrysina woodi & beyeri #4. Lochmaeocles marmoratus #5. Megasoma punctulatum #6. Strategus aloeus
     
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Post by mantisboy on Jan 28, 2015 20:10:57 GMT -8
Sounds like a great trip! I'll have to get down to AZ some day. I don't think your "Derobrachus germinatus" is a Derbrachis though, because it lacks spines on its pronotum. I am guessing it is Stenaspis solitaria. |
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