NEWSLETTER of the Wisconsin Entomological Society Volume 12, Number 1 Editor: Mark H. Evans April, 1984 We have sailed well into the new year already and before long, the pollinators will be visiting the wild flowers of Wisconsin once again. However, if you are like me, as much as you crave the warm, caterpillar- raising weather of summer, spring always seems to catch you off guard. I apologize for getting this first Newsletter off late, but it does provide an opportunity to add some recent Society business for your review. First, however, let me thank, on behalf of our entire membership, our outgoing officers, Dr. Bob Jeanne, 1983 president, and Greg Lintereur, 1983 treasurer, for their fine efforts during the past year. Replacing them, following our December elections, were Dr. Dan Young as president, and Les Ferge as treasurer. We also thank Walt Gould (1983 vice-president) and Phil Pellitteri (1983 secretary) for their efforts and we welcome their continuation as reelected officers for this year. Besides some event notes and some additional information on our Cedarburg Bog field trip of 1983, we have included in this newsletter some suggested WES Constitution changes for your careful study. These suggested changes will be voted on at our May meeting. Have a beautiful field season everyone! Mark H. Evans 240 Russell Labs., U.W. , Madison Madison, Wisconsin 53706 Summer Field Trip: At the home of Larry and Jane Phelps, Baraboo, Wise. Date: 20-21 July. This will be the 3rd quarter moon. If anyone wants to shift to the next weedend to catch the new moon for blacklight, that would be alright. The early evening on the 20/21st should be dark but I really don't have any experience with UV lights, or the phenology of insects that might interest WES members. Site description: An old dairy farm in a west-facing valley on the south range of the Baraboo Hills. On rocky soils lying over hard sandstones. Quiet, pretty much away from road noises at night, now occupied by two college biology teachers and an assortment of poultry, pets, and a large garden. Collecting sites: Old fields, pastures, and sugar maple woods by house. A few miles north an interesting sandy prairie, a few miles south several relict northern hardwoods stands in the Baraboo Bluffs (assuming Nature Conservancy approval). 1 Facilities: A few extra beds plus several good roofs to cover sleeping bags and suitable tent sites if wanted. That time of the year we could eat pretty well from the garden excess, supplemented perhaps by a bit of bacon for breakfast. Directions: North from Sauk City on Hwy 12 to County Hwy PF (about 3 1/2 miles from the Sauk City bridge). Turn left and stay on PF for about 18 miles. Watch for WES sign for left turn onto Maple Hill Road. Go 1/4 mile and turn right on Wilson Road. Third place on right, with "Sugar Hill" on barn. TeL. no. 522-4228 if you get lost. The following are excerpts from a letter from Robert Bryant, editor of the Maryland Entomologist. The letter was sent to Dan Young in March 1984. It includes information on the Maryland Entomlogical Society which may be of interest to our membership - Dear Dan: Thank you very much for the information about the WES. Sounds like an interesting group and I think I would like to try a one year membership. Check is enclosed. Please send any 1984 Newsletters that I may have missed. Thanx, also, for your interest in the Maryland Entomological Society. We, too, meet once a month but from Oct. through May. Speakers are obtained from local universities, the Dept, of Agriculture, and the USNM, as well as from the membership. Once in awhile we get lucky in being able to prevail upon visiting luminaries of national prominence to speak to the group or attend a meeting and share their expertise on an informal basis.... We, also, try to schedule at least one collecting trip during the summer to some interesting or heretofore uncollected spot in Md. Society projects have included obtaining an official State Insect for Md., contributing a collection of insects to the Naturalist Center at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., hosting an annual meeting of the Xerces Society, and we are currently involved in a faunal survey of Md. that hopefully will eventually include all orders of insects. We have 2 publications, at present. Our newsletter, PHAETON, is issued 9 times a year and contains a reprise of each meeting, unusual or interesting collecting data, member news, a wants & exchanges section, and entomological cartoons. Our journal, MARYLAND ENTOMOLOGIST, appears irregularly but usually one issue per year. It may soon be possible to get out 2 issues per year since several lengthy manuscripts have been received on the beetles of Md. and the moths of Md. Dues are $5.00/yr. for adults and $3.00/yr. for junior members (under 18). Membership stands at about 125, at present, with the majority from Md. but we have quite a few from out of state. I don't believe we have anybody from Wisconsin yet. In the event you would like to join, contact our Secretary/Treasurer, Philip J. Kean, 1215 Stella Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21207. Thanx again for your response to my inquiry and I hope to see your name as a member of MES, before too long. In any event, perhaps you could mention our group to your group sometime. Sincerely yours, Robert S. Bryant 2 A note from Greg Lintereur on his vacation in Florida (18 March-2 April 1984): March is usually a good time of year to collect swallowtails throughout Florida. However due to an exceptionally cold winter, there seemed to be fewer swallowtails flying about this year. An exceptionally good area for a high diversity of swallowtails in Ocala National Forest (see #1 on map), just north of Orlando. Here in the long-leaf pine under- story are a diversity of plants such as paw- paw and magnolia which support a greater diversity of swallowtail species than some of the typical long leaf pine-sawtooth palmetto habi tat. Just south of Ocala at (2) Weikwa Springs State Park is a good area for Tiger Swallowtails. On March 24, my father and I saw many Tigers which were apparently attracted to an abundance of cherry trees along the banks of a spring fed stream. There also were lots of palamodes and Spicebush swallowtails. Just outside of (3) Orlando there were lots of giant swallowtails around the old abandoned orange groves. Ocala Natinal Forest 1) Zebra swallowtails 2) Tiger swallowtails 3) Palamedes swallowtails 4) Giant swallowtails 3) Spicebush swallowtails Weikwa Springs S.P. Fla. 1) Tiger swallowtails 2} Palamedes 3) Spicebush 4) Giant At Corkscrew Sanctuary in Southern Florida near the Gulf, we saw what seems to be a rather* uncommon swallowtail of southern Florida, a black swallowtail. Here at Corkscrew Sanctuary there was high habitat diversity which was reflected in the number of different species of swallowtails present. 3. Orlando Fla. 1) Giant swallowtails 2) Spicebush swallowtails 3) Zebra swallowtails 4. Corkscrew swamp Sanctuary 1) Palamedes swallowtails Tiger swallowtails Spicebush swallowtails Giant swallowtails Black swallowtails Butterfly collecting in general, is usually pretty good in March for an area this far south. But other than a good diversity of swallowtails we saw few other species of butterflies. Maybe this can be explained by the cold weather Florida experienced this past winter. FROM YOUR PRESIDENT Recently, while I was looking through materials which Bob Jeanne gave to me when I assumed office, I discovered an original copy of the WES constitution and by- laws. I was somewhat surprised to learn that we had such formal documents, and even more surprised when I studied them in detail. While our basic objectives have not changed over the years, many functional aspects of the society currently bear little resemblance to those set forth thirteen years ago. In an attempt to critically review the WES constitution and by-laws, the executive council has met twice since the February genetal meeting. The output of these meetings is summarized below by a 3 set of recommended amendments which have been structured to bring our formal society documents up to date with our current needs and modes of operation. Those of you present at the March meeting already received this list. I urge all members to consider the slate of amendments and contact me for further information if necessary. We plan to formally move that the amendments be accepted by the membership as a part of our general meeting in May. Proposed Changes in the WES Constitution: Article III, Section 1, Clause A: ORIGINAL - Individual Membership: Any individual who subscribes to the aforementioned purpose of this society shall be eligible for voting membership. PROPOSED - Individual Membership: Any individual who subscribes to the aforementioned purpose of this society shall be eligible for voting membership. Additional yearly contributions in excess of the individual level shall be recognized as sustaining or patron memberships. The amounts defining each category shall be determined by the executive council and specified on duel notices. Sustaining and patron contributions may not be applied to future dues obligations. JUSTIFICATION - There have been several instances in the recent past where individuals have forwarded contribution amounts in excess of the yearly dues. When no explanation was sent along with the contribution, the treasurer has been unable to determine whether the amount was for the current year or to pay dues ahead. The added sentences make it clear that unless a member specifically states that dues are being paid ahead of schedule, all amounts received will be considered to pertain to the current fiscal year. 3: Members who are one year in arrears in the payment of dues shall be dropped from the rolls of this society. Following initial and second notifications, members who have fallen two years in arrears in the payment of dues shall be dropped from the roles of this society. In the past few years, we have been extremely liberal in giving latitude as regards dues payment. However, we must also be fiscally responsible; the proposed amendment seems to offer a sound compromise. Article III, Section ORIGINAL - PROPOSED - JUSTIFICATION - Article IV, Section 2: ORIGINAL - That the executive council shall consist of the officers of this society, the immediate past president, and three elected councilmen. PROPOSED - That the executive council shall consist of the officers of this society, the immediate past president, and the newsletter editor. JUSTIFICATION - For some time, we have not filled and utilized the "councilman" positions. While the executive council felt no need to resurrect the three slots, there was unanimous agreement that the editor of the newsletter should be an official member of this functional core. (NOTE: If approved, all other references to the three elected councilmen would be deleted - i.e. Article V, Section 6; Article V, Section 8). Article IX, Sections 1 & 2: ORIGINAL - Section 1 - Section 2 - PROPOSED - Section 1 - JUSTIFICATION - by-laws more difficult to change (i.e. only one time during any given year) than the constitution. We also felt that a two-thirds vote would provide a better mandate than the simple majority currently stated in section two. This constitution may be amended, altered or repealed by a two- thirds vote of the members present at any regular meeting or the annual meeting. A copy of each proposed amendment shall be presented at the meeting preceeding the meetings at which the amendment is voted upon. The by-laws of this society may be amended, altered or repealed by a majority vote of the members present at the annual meeting. This constitution, and the by-laws of this society, may be amended, altered or repealed by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any regular meeting or the annual meeting. A copy of each proposed amendment shall be presented at the meeting preceeding the meetings at which the amendment is voted upon. The executive council sees no value in making the Proposed Changes in the WES By-Laws: Article II, Section 1: ORIGINAL - Meetings shall be held bi-monthly from October through June and at such other times as the executive council shall determine. PROPOSED - Meetings shall be held monthly from February through May, September through December, and at such other times as the executive council shall determine. Advance notification of each meeting shall be distributed to the membership. JUSTIFICATION - The proposed amendment does nothing more than specify the schedule which we have followed for the past few years. Article II, Section 2: ORIGINAL - PROPOSED - JUSTIFICATION - Article II, Section ORIGINAL - PROPOSED - JUSTIFICATION - Article II, Section ORIGINAL - PROPOSED - JUSTIFICATION - Article II, Section ORIGINAL - The fiscal year of this society shall begin on October 1 and shall end on the next September 30. The fiscal year of this society shall begin on January 1 and i shall end on the next December 31. This format would be far more efficient and appropriate as regards our yearly financial summary (with respect to the date of our annual meeting). It would also fall into line with the time at which elections for new officers takes place. 3: The financial records of this society shall be audited by the Auditing Committee after each fiscal year and prior to the annual meeting. The financial records of this society shall be audited by the executive council as a whole at the end of each fiscal year and shall be reported on by the treasurer at the annual meeting. The executive council sees no conflict of interest in reviewing and auditing the financial affairs of the society along with the treasurer. Since we work together throughout the year, this would seem to be a far more efficient approach. 4 : The annual meeting shall be held in October or November, the date and place to be determined by the executive council. Elections of officers shall be held at the annual meeting. The annual meeting shall be held in November or December, the date and place to be determined by executive council. The ceromony for the installation of new officers shall be held at the end of the annual meeting and new officers shall assume their respective offices on January 1. This would validate our recent trend for holding the annual meeting in early December. Also, we have not been strictly following the by-laws as regards elections. Article IV, Section 2 clearly states that a slate of proposed officers and ballot shall be mailed to all active members at least ten days before the annual meeting. Thus, the actual election process takes place prior to the annual meeting. 5: That the regular meetings of the society shall be held in Russell Laboratories of the University of Wisconsin, but that the executive council may conduct meetings anywhere within the boundaries of the State of Wisconsin. 6 PROPOSED That the regular meetings, annual meeting, and executive council meetings of the society shall be conducted anywhere within the boundaries of the State of Wisconsin. However, special or joint meetings with similar societies from surrounding states may be approved by the executive council, and may be held within or outside the boundaries of the State of Wisconsin. JUSTIFICATION - The executive council fully expects that Russell Labs will continue to serve as the "home" for most of our society functions. However, in recent years we have attempted to increase interest and active participation by members in other areas of the State, particularly in the Milwaukee area. We see numerous advantages in maintaining this flexibility for the future. Article II, Section 6: ORIGINAL - A Majority of the members present at the monthly meetings or annual meetings shall be required to transact the business of the society. PROPOSED - A two- thirds vote of the members present at the monthly meetings or annual meeting shall be required to transact the business of the society. JUSTIFICATION - It would be rare that an issue related to the business of our society would not receive approval by over two- thirds of the members present. However, should such an issue surface, it would probably be in the best interest of the society to reconsider the alternatives. FURTHER NOTES ON MOTHS COLLECTED AT CEDARBURG BOG George J. Balogh The following list of moths collected at the UW-Milwaukee Cedarburg Bog Field Station on July 15, 1983 supplements the list submitted by Leslie A. Ferge (Newsletter of the Wisconsin Entomological Society 11(3), December 1983). All specimens were taken at blacklights placed near the Field Station buildings and within Cedarburg Bog. A number of species remain undetermined especially in the Micro lop idop tera families (Tineidae, Tortricidae, and Pyralidae). Where possible the Microlepidop tera have been listed by family and subfamily. Several captures are of interest. 1) The members of the Pyralid genus Munroessa feed as larvae on aquatic plants making cases of leaves or boring into the stems of their foodplants (Monroe, 1972). 2) The three Geometrid species Semiothisa sexmaculata , _S_. submarmora ta , and S. oweni are members of the coniferous feeding Semiothisa signaria complex. These three sibling species feed as larvae on tamarack (Larix sp.), and it is interesting that these typically Canadian Zone species were found flying together on the same date at Cedarburg Bog. The Semiothisa signaria complex has been recently revised by Ferguson (1974). 1 3) The Geometrids Scopula cacuminaria , Eulithis molliculata , _E^. des tina ta , E_. f lavibrunnea ta , and E_. serra taria are uncommonly collected in Wisconsin. Based on the list of moths collected at Cedarburg Bog on this single date, the locality is very rich in species. Further collecting should be productive. The nomenclature and arrangement of this list conforms with the Checklist of the Lepidoptera of America North of Mexico, edited by R. W. Hodges et al. (1983). TINEIDAE Acrolophus sp. TORTRICIDAE 5 species LIMACODIDAE Apoda y-inversum (Packard) Adoneta spinuloldes (Herrich-Shaef fer.) PYRALIDAE SCOPARIINAE - 1 species NYMPHULINAE Munroessa icciusaiis (Walker) Munroessa gyralis (Hulst) PYRAUST1NAE Nascia acutella (Walker) Palp lea sp. Pantographs llmata (Grote and Robinson) SCHOENOBIINAE - 2 species? CRAMBINAE - 4 species EPEPASCHI1NAE - 1 species PHYCITINAE - 4 species Other undetermined Pyralidae - 6 species OTHER MICROLEPIDOPTERA - 2 species THYRATIRIDAE Pseudo thyra tira cyraatophoroides (Guenee) DREPANIDAE Drepana bilineata (Packard) GEOMETRIDAE Itame pustularla (Guenee) I tame ribearia (Fitch) Itame bltactata (Walker) Semiothisa bislgnata (Walker) Semiothisa sexmaculata (Packard) Semiothisa submarmorata (Walker) Semiothisa oweni (Swett) Semiothisa orillata (Walker) Anacamptodes ephyraria (Walker) Anavi trine 11a pampinaria (Guenee) Ectropis crepuscularia (Denis and Schif fermuller) Euchlaena serra ta (Drury) Euchlaena johnsonaria (Fitch) Metanema inatomaria Guenee Metanema deteriminata Walker Cepphis armataria (Herrich-Schaef fer) Plagodis phlogosaria (Guenee) Sicya macularia (Harris) Eugonobapta nivosaria (Guenee) Pleuroprucha insulsaria (Guenee) Haematopis grataria (Fabricius) Scopula cacuminaria (Morrison) Eulithis diversilineata (Hubner) vs. gracilinea ta (Guenee) Eulithis molliculata (Walker) Eulithis destinata (Moschler) vs. f lavibrunnea ta (McDunnough) Eulithis explanata (Walker) Eulithis serrataria (Barnes and McDunnough) Hydria sp. Xanthorhoe lacustrata (Guenee) Hydrelia inomata (Hulst) Eupithecia sp. SPHINGIDAE Sphinx chersis (Hubner) Sphinx kalmiae J.E. Smith MOTODONTIDAE Schizura unicornis (J.E. Smith) LYMANTRIIDAE Orgyia leucostigma (J.E. Smith) NOCTUIDAE Zanclogna tha laevigata (Grote) Bomolocha deceptalis (Walker) Catocala briseis Edwards Marathyssa inficita (Walker) Hypers trotia pervertens (Barnes and McDunnough) Lithacodia albidula (Guenee) Capis curva ta’ Grote Charadra deridens (Guenee) Raphia frater Grote Acronicta funeralis Grote and Robinson Agriopodes fallax (Herrich-Schaef fer) Xylomola chagnoni Barnes and McDunnough Hypocoena defects (Grote) Ipimorpha pleonectusa Grote Magusa orbifera (Walker) Crambodes talidif orrais Guenee Amolita fessa Grote Lacanobia legitima (Grote) Leucania commoides Guenee Orthodes crenulata (Butler)? Anaplec toides prasina (Denis and Schif fermuller) Protolampra brunnelcollls (Grote) Other undetermined Noctuidae - 7 species LITERATURE CITED Ferguson, Douglas C. 1974, Moths of the Semiothisa signaria complex (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) . Canadian Entomologist 106(6): 569-621. Munroe, Eugene 1972, The Mothos of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 13. 1A, Pyraloidea: Pyralidae, Scopariinae and Nymphulinae. E.W. Classey, London. 1 Next Meeting: Date - Saturday, 12 May Place - Milwaukee Public Museum First Field Trip for Summer of 1984 : Date - 15-16 June (Friday-Saturday) Place - UW Milwaukee Field Station ("Cedarburg Bog") Our May gathering at the Milwaukee Public Museum will serve as a prelude to the first of two field-collecting trips we've scheduled for this summer. Dr. Jim Reinartz, manager of the UW Milwaukee field station, will present an overview of the station - its facilities, programs, and geography-ecology. An additional speaker or two will provide examples of entomo logically related studies that have been conducted at the field station in the past. Members who will be attending the meeting are asked to gather in the main lobby of the museum at 1:00 P.M. and check in with the desk. For further information please call Dan Young (608-262-2078) or Sue Borkin (414-278-2758). 9 F •H QJ u a Cu CO Z QJ CO co u CO c0 co QJ OJ CO Li i — i hJ TO Ql, < cn a 03 *H a> -n M CO 03 U 0) U 43 •H £ U-4 QJ a u 0J 0) a li CO 3 w Li 3 O 'i-l a) t3 C 0) QJ T3 60 3 QJ QJ JJ 43 O c Po QJ E CO co co o o cn o 0) dJ i-H Li ■H to 0 Li E O U-l 60 O Li QJ O LJ c CO o o CJ ■H o 4-1 (3. 3 LP| •H 43 CO X O •H to cn O Li Li -U tt— 1 OJ <■ c o 43 to- o a o C QJ co o a QJ T-* •H 3 CO 4-1 60 ■o 3 3 c C 43 ■H i— l c -H 3 CO CO )-i o 3 4-1 T— l C 1 C C 1 o O C0 CJ U-l Li 1 QJ iH QJ 1 43 CO X E 3 L J (J QJ C QJ T. C t4— r 43 co O E 60 Ql c 1 QJ R •H 1 C c 0 OJ •rt c > CO o 4*! ■r4 4-1 Li CJ U co 4-J QJ o 3 CO X < in CL u 1 □ □ □ QJ rH CU •K Wisconsin Entomological Society 247 Russell Labs U.W. - Madison Madison, WI 53706 1