Subject: Wanted: info and photos on H. columbia

From: Patrick Marceau <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 5 Dec 1996 13:15:08 -0400

I search any information (habitat, experience, biology ect.) on Hyalophora
columbia and photos (larvae, eggs, cocoons and adults)

write to: [email-masked]

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From: "James J. Kruse" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 5 Dec 1996 11:01:16 -0800

> write to: [email-masked]

Habitat = Mature tamarack bogs.  Adults may be captured 2nd-3rd week of
June in Northern Wisconsin/Upper Michigan, females dusk to around
midnight, males just before dawn (4-5 am).  Cocoons may be found around
the bases of the tamaracks, preferably in winter after the needles have
fallen and the bog is frozen.  I have only found a couple of cocoons (3
searches over 2 seasons), and have only managed to hit the adults once
(with assistance). You need perfect timing apparently, as the adults have
a short flight season: @ 7 days tops.

H. columbia will hybridize with H. cecropia (if you can keep the male
cecropias away long enough and put put out a bunch of female cecropia in
appropriate columbia habitat).  We managed a couple pairings last year.
Out of some 250 ova (my share), three hatched, and I got one to pupate.

This info is for Wisconsin and Upper Michigan bog restricted H. columbia,
as western subspecies and other varieties are likely to be different.

Did I miss anything Bob?

Cheers!
Jim Kruse