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Post by kevinkk on Feb 24, 2021 8:24:33 GMT -8
More charitable than I'd have felt, "distract other drivers". Keeping your eyes on the road and not rubbernecking is your own responsibility, we all have heard of accidents caused by people looking at a wreck, so who's fault is that?
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Feb 27, 2021 8:04:17 GMT -8
I am near Upper Sandusky, Ohio traveling on a back road (CR116) towards Killdeer Plains WA. I saw some Shag Bark Hickory Tree's. I stopped to lift some bark for Lithophane moths. No luck.I walked an old Barbbed Wire fence row towards my car, I found several cocoons on a dozen or so Tulip Trees. The Tulip Trees were fairly young. 7 to 15 feet in height. I found 11 cocoons. I believe they are Callosamia angulifera. Not 100% positive. The silk of the cocoons is almost charcoal in color. They feel and by appearances seem to be viable.
I travelled to Big Island WA near New Bloomington, Ohio. My first visit. Lots of Wet Lands. I hiked along an old gravel road. I found two Antheraea polyphemus on a lone River Birch (Betula nigra). There were lots of small birds zipping about. I spent about 45 minutes exploring. Did not encounter another soul.
The east/west road was snow covered and little used. I will return in the spring.
It took me over three hours to return home.
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Post by eurytides on Feb 27, 2021 10:53:42 GMT -8
I thought angulifera cocoons dropped to the ground?
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Feb 27, 2021 13:40:16 GMT -8
When Callosamia angulifera attach the base of the cocoon to the stem of the Leaf. Sometimes the leaf remains attached to the branch and the cocoon dances in the wind. Sometimes the dance ends when the leaf breaks free from the branch. The cocoon falls to the ground with the Leaf. Should the Leaf with the Cocoon remain attached, the Cocoon is then ready for me to find it dancing in the wind.
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Post by eurytides on Feb 27, 2021 17:08:36 GMT -8
Yes, and my understanding is that, unlike promethea, angulifera doesn’t purposefully use the silk to anchor the leaf to the branch. So while promethea cocoons are always hanging on the branch, angulifera cocoons are only there if you are lucky.
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Post by Paul K on Feb 27, 2021 17:45:14 GMT -8
Yes, and my understanding is that, unlike promethea, angulifera doesn’t purposefully use the silk to anchor the leaf to the branch. So while promethea cocoons are always hanging on the branch, angulifera cocoons are only there if you are lucky. that is interesting, harder to find species. I wonder if C.angulifera occurs in Southern Ontario ?
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Post by eurytides on Feb 27, 2021 18:03:23 GMT -8
Paul, yes they occur in ON. Check the records at Ontario Moth Atlas.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Feb 27, 2021 22:34:48 GMT -8
I thought angulifera cocoons dropped to the ground? That is interesting. Do they have problems spreading their wings after emerging on the ground? Ada.
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Feb 28, 2021 1:30:44 GMT -8
I have a large cage (The cage is 50+ years old.) I made it specifically for keeping Cocoons, Pupae or Chrysalids. I will attach the cocoons to the sides or the top of the cage, or even just lay the cocoons in the bottom of the cage, the emerging adult moth will eventually work it's way to the top of the cage.
I have never taken Callosamia promethea in a Light Trap. I have taken only males of Callosamia angulifera in a Light Trap.
I attracted a couple dozen males of Callosamia angulifera to my back yard in the sterile suburban environment when the female's of Callosamia angulifera began "calling".
Most males that I would/have encountered were always wing worn.
I believe that Callosamia angulifera is a common moth that is seldom encounteted.
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Post by eurytides on Feb 28, 2021 5:37:53 GMT -8
I thought angulifera cocoons dropped to the ground? That is interesting. Do they have problems spreading their wings after emerging on the ground? Ada. They just find something to climb up on. Lots of moths pupate underground or in leaf litter, same idea.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Feb 28, 2021 5:53:23 GMT -8
Except that these are much larger than most moths.
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Post by eurytides on Feb 28, 2021 7:28:37 GMT -8
Lots of other silkmoths are similar or larger: Polyphemus, Luna, Imperial...etc. They can pupate on or under the ground.
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Feb 28, 2021 9:54:52 GMT -8
I do know that cecropia, polyphemus, promethea, angulifera and luna are all above ground (At least that is my experience.).
While living in Virginia in the early 1980's I found a small White Oak tree with 50+ late instar larva of Luna Moth caterpillars. I have never found a Luna Moth Cocoon in the wild.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Feb 28, 2021 10:00:23 GMT -8
Lots of other silkmoths are similar or larger: Polyphemus, Luna, Imperial...etc. They can pupate on or under the ground. I am used to Sphingids pupating underground or in leaf litter at the base of the foodplant, but they can climb straight up when they emerge. It just seemed strange to hear about cocoons which drop to the ground from trees, maybe often quite far from something to climb. Adam.
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Post by kevinkk on Feb 28, 2021 10:28:18 GMT -8
The animals do seem to climb well, I try to tie cocoons and chrysalids to a stick when I can, but all the others find a perch fairly quickly. Perhaps unfurling the wings lower to the ground helps with avoiding predators.
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