V NEWSLETTER of the WISCONSIN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Volume 22, Numbers 2 & 3 Les Ferge, Editor October 1995 ANNUAL MEETING TO BE HELD NOVEMBER 4 IN MADISON The next meeting of the Wisconsin Entomological Society will be held on Saturday, November 4 at Russell Labs on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Russell Labs is located at the corner of Babcock and Linden Drives (see map on back page) and parking is available in lots adjacent to the building. The UW Insect Research Collection (third floor) will be open at 1:00 PM, and the formal part of the meeting will begin at 2:00 PM. The program will feature our annual photo salon. Any members having slides of entomological subjects are encouraged to participate. Each entrant may submit up to five slides, labelled with the subject and name of photographer. The slides will be evaluated by the audience, which will vote to select the winning entries. The winner's name will be added to the William E. Sieker Memorial Plaque, and a print of the first place slide is added to the display in the Entomology Department office, and is also awarded to the photographer. In addition, Les Ferge will present an update on new Wisconsin Lepidoptera records and current survey projects. Also on the agenda is the election of officers for 1995. The current officers are: Phil Pellitteri, President; Gene Drecktrah, Vice President; Carol Ferge, Secretary; and Tom Rocheleau, Treasurer. Although the present officers are willing to continue for another year, nominations are welcome, and can be made at the meeting. Anyone interested in serving as an officer may contact Phil Pellitteri at the Department of Entomology, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, Wl 53706, or phone (608) 262-6510. 1995 IN REVIEW Phil Pellitteri My first thoughts are that they moved the whole state to southern Illinois one evening and didn't tell anyone. The weather service people tell me this will go down as the warmest summer on record. Following a mild winter it is no surprise that things were a little different. My phone calls and specimen records are running about 15% ahead of 1994. Most things that spent the winter in the ground seemed come into the spring very strong. Lots of the sawflies (esp. Family Tenthredinidae) that feed on trees and shrubs had a good year. Birch leafminer, elm leafminer, pear slug, mountain ash sawfly, larch sawfly, and the blackheaded ash sawfly were in high enough numbers that they caught peoples attention. ( continued on next page ) The Newsletter of the Wisconsin Entomological Society is published three times a year, at irregular intervals. It is provided to encourage and facilitate the exchange of information by the membership, and to keep the members informed of the activities of the organization. Members are strongly encouraged to contribute items, for inclusion in the Newsletter. Please send all news items, notes, new or interesting insect records, season summaries, research requests, and report any address changes to the editor Les Ferge, 7119 Hubbard Avenue, Middleton, Wl 53562. NEWSLETTER OF THE WISCONSIN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 22(2 & 3): 1925 The spring and most of the summer had low numbers of mosquitoes. It wasn't until the mid-August weather front that dumped 4-6 inches of rain in the north and central parts of the state that things began to get out of hand. As usual, people forget it is expected that Wisconsin is supposed to have many mosquitoes. When the European Earwigs began emerging from the ground, life became a little unbearable. We continue to get movement northward and westward, so we have people that have never seen or experienced these "insect goats." After doing a piece in the local paper and going on record that they do not search out people's ears, there was an editorial by a person who needed medical help in removing one from their ear. They told the expert to "stick it in your ear." I also received calls about earwigs emerging from other body areas. I do not allow my children or spouse to say earw in my presence, even though it is spelled with more than four letters. The imported longhorned weevil Calomycterus setarius started migrating form old pastures and fields in the southern two-thirds of the state during June. Many of these slow-moving gray weevils would climb into homes and get in people's way. Because they overwinter as larvae in the soil, I just used the mild winter excuse. Although it is only a 2-3 week problem, these little guys caused a lot of people to reconsider their move to the country. The mild winter and large heat accumulations had the German Yellowjackets raiding garbage cans by the first week of August. So many people were getting stung that many hospitals put out press releases due to the large number of people coming into emergency rooms with "bee stings." Lawn mowers and ground nesting wasps do not make a good match. Eating outdoors became impossible. One principal had 20% of his students stung on the playground on the first day of school, and in other area schools the nurse’s office kept running out of ice. The early reports on Gypsy moth catches in the pheromone traps do not sound encouraging. The numbers are significantly higher than last year. The Japanese beetle numbers exploded from 40,000 to over 1.3 million captured in the Beloit area this year. I think these insects will make the general public aware of how much impact a six-legged animal can have on the environment in the not too distant future. One of the most exciting research projects going on in the area was a termite baiting trial in Columbia county. Rather than poisoning the soil with large amounts of insecticide, a small amount of bait is introduced into the colony. As the workers feed each other this hormone mimic wipes out the colony. The researcher from Dow mentioned that this Wisconsin infestation was the most intensive he has ever seen, compared to Florida and other southeastern states in which he works. The late arrival of the Monarchs caught people's attention. With more awareness of the plight of this species, and the selling of caterpillars on potted milkweed plants, I find a growing segment of the general public showing concern. Over the years I find a larger number of people who raise and release various moths, butterflies, and even beetles. I have great hopes that the children who grow up liking insects will become more understanding adults who realize who is really in control on this earth. WISCONSIN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY SPECIAL PUBLICATION NO. 3 FEBRUARY, 1993 Wisconsin Millipeds: A Preliminary Species List and a Catalog of Records Dreux J. Watermolen 1 The milliped fauna of Wisconsin remains poorly known. No comprehensive surveys have been completed, and records of Wisconsin millipeds are scattered throughout the taxonomic literature. No one has previously attempted to catalog the state's species. The following preliminary list and catalog of 26 species, representing 13 families in six orders, was compiled after an extensive review of milliped literature and examination of specimens from various museum collections. This is a preliminary working list; field work and additional literature review will likely add species to it. It is intended to consolidate records and stimulate interest in this often overlooked group. All known published Wisconsin records are included in the catalog. Examination of specimens in several museum collections provided many records, however, not eveiy specimen included in the catalog was examined by the author. Collection inventory lists provided by museum staff and research notes provided by Dr. R.M. Shelley, North Carolina State Museum of Natural Science, yielded many additional records. Records from 1890 through 1994 are included, and 10 additional species are listed as potentially occurring in the state. Detailed collection information for all cited specimens is available from the author. Systematic arrangement follows that of Hoffman (1980), subsequently adopted by Shelley (1988) and Hoffman (1990), with taxa listed alphabetically under the appropriate family and genus. Records for each species are presented in chronological order. Each record consists of three parts: year of collection or publication, the name of the county where the collection occurred (or "Wisconsin" when the county is not known or provided), and the name of the museum collection in which the specimen is maintained and/or a literature citation. For example: Polyzonium mutabile Causey: 1977: Sheboygan: TMM 1983: Wisconsin: Kevan 1983 There are two records for Polyzonium mutabile in Wisconsin. A specimen collected in Sheboygan County in 1977, is maintained in the Texas Memorial Museum collection; and Kevan (1983) listed P. mutabile from Wisconsin, but did not specify a locality. The following abbreviations are used for the various museum collections: AMNH: American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY; FMNH: Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL;FSCA: Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Gainesville, FL; ILNHS: Illinois Natural History Survey, Urbana, IL;MCZ: Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA; MPM: Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI; NCSM: North Carolina State Museum of Natural Science, Raliegh, NC; NMNH: National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC; TMM: Texas Memorial Museum, University of Texas, Austin, TX . l Bureau of Environmental Analysis and Review, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707 Class Diplopoda Sub Class Helminthomorpha Order Polyzoniida Family Polvzoniidae Polyzonium sp. Brandt 1955: Oneida: ILNHS Polyzonium mutabile Causey 1977: Sheboygan: TMM 1983: Wisconsin: Kevan 1983 Aniulus bollmani Causey 1952: Wisconsin: Causey 1952 1958: Wisconsin: Chamberlin & Hoffman 1958 1983: Wisconsin: Kevan 1983 Oriulus me dianus Chamberlin 1982: Vilas: MPM Ptyoiulus sp. Cook 1977: Milwaukee: MPM 1978: Door: MPM 1979: Washington: MPM Order Spirobolida Family Snirobolidae Narceus am eric anus annularis (Rafinesque) 1897, prior to: Milwaukee: MPM 1915: Dane: Cahn 1915 1926: Vernon: MPM 1946: Clark: FMNH, Keeton 1960 1946: Sauk: Keeton 1960 1948: Sauk: Keeton 1960 1950: Sauk: ILNHS 1951: Upper Mississippi Valley: Hoffman 1951 1973: Grant: TMM 1983: Wisconsin: Kevan 1983 1992: Brown: MPM 1992: Door: MPM 1992: Ozaukee: MPM 1994: Crawford: MPM Order Julida Blaniulids unidentifiable to species level 1978: Milwaukee: MPM Nopoiulus kochii (Gervais) 1953: Dane: FSCA 1953: Dane: FSCA 1957: Crawford: NMNH 1976: Milwaukee: MPM 1979: Ozaukee: MPM 1983: Wisconsin: Kevan 1983 Parajulids unidentifiable to species level 1977: Milwaukee: MPM 1977: Waukesha: MPM 1980: Waukesha: MPM 1982: Douglas: MPM 1982: Douglas: MPM 1982: Vilas: MPM 1984: Milwaukee: MPM Uroblaniulus canadensis (Newport) 1951: Door: Causey 1952 Uroblaniulus stolidus Causey 1951: Door: AMNH, Causey 1952 1977: Dane: TMM 1977: Dane: TMM Family Julidae Julids unidentifiable to species level 1978: Milwaukee: MPM Cylindroiulus sp. Verhoeff 1978: Milwaukee: MPM 1980: Milwaukee: MPM Cylindroiulus caeruleocinctus (Wood) 1973: Dane: TMM 1975: Dane: TMM 1975: Dane: TMM 1976: Milwaukee: MPM 1976: Waukesha: MPM 1977: Milwaukee: MPM 1977: Sheboygan: TMM 1977: Waukesha: MPM 1978: Milwaukee: MPM 1978: Walworth: MPM 1980: Washington: MPM 1982: Washington: MPM 1983: Wisconsin: Kevan 1983 Ophyiulus pilosus (Newport) 1974: Dane: TMM 1976: Milwaukee: MPM 1977: Milwaukee: MPM 1977: Sheboygan: TMM 1978: Milwaukee: MPM 1978: Milwaukee: MPM 1978: Milwaukee: MPM 1979: Waukesha: MPM 1980: Milwaukee: MPM 1980: Washington: MPM 1980: Washington: MPM 1983: Wisconsin: Kevan 1983 Order Callipodida Family Caspiopetalidae A bad on tesselatum Rafinesque 1940: Walworth: FMNH, Shelley 1984 1949: Walworth: MCZ, Shelley 1984 1958: Wisconsin: Chamberlin & Hoffman 1958 1975: Crawford: NCSM 1978: Dane: TMM 1983: Wisconsin: Kevan 1983 Order Chordeumatida Family Conotvlidae Ache me nides pedinatus (Causey) 1958: Richland: FSCA 1972: caves and mines in the driftless area: Shear 1972 1983: Wisconsin: Kevan 1983 1988: Mississippi Valley of southern Wisconsin: Shelley 1988 A ustrotyla specus (Loomis) 1961: Wisconsin: Causey 1961 1971: upper Mississippi Valley: Shear 1971 1972: southwestern Wisconsin: Shear 1972 1976: Grant: TMM Family Trichopetalidae Trichopetalum lunatum Harger 1967: Wisconsin: Causey 1967 1983: Wisconsin: Kevan 1983 Family Casevidae Underwoodia iuloides (Harger) 1953: Fond du Lac: FMNH, Shelley 1988 1993: eastern Wisconsin: Shelley 1993a Order Polydesmida Family Xvstodesmidae Apheloria virginiensis (Drury) n.d.: Milwaukee: MPM Pleuroloma flavipes Rafinesque n.d.: Milwaukee: MPM, Shelley 1980 1890: some parts of Wisconsin: Wheeler 1890 1905: Milwaukee: AMNH, Shelley 1980 1905: Milwaukee: AMNH, Shelley 1980 1917: Waukesha: MPM 1932: Pepin: NMNH 1938: Walworth: FMNH 1946: Sauk: MCZ, Shelley 1980 Pleuroloma flavipes Rafinesque, cont. 1950: Crawford: MCZ, Shelley 1980 1958: Washburn: FSCA, Shelley 1980 1965: Dane: MCZ, Shelley 1980 1982: Green: MPM 1993: Ozaukee: MPM 1993: Ozaukee: NCSM Semionellus placidus (Wood) 1983: Wisconsin: Kevan 1983 1990: Wisconsin: Shelley 1990 Family Platvrhacidae (Eurvuridael A uturus evides (Bollman) 1914: Dane: NMNH 1926: Vernon: MPM, Shelley 1982 1931: Pepin: Shelley 1982 1949: Grant: MCZ, Shelley 1982 1949: Grant: MCZ, Shelley 1982 1949: Pierce: MCZ, Shelley 1982 1949: Vernon: MCZ, Shelley 1982 1949: Vernon: MCZ, Shelley 1982 1949: Vernon: MCZ, Shelley 1982 1949: Vernon: MCZ, Shelley 1982 1955: Sauk: MCZ, Shelley 1982 1955: Sauk: MCZ 1973: Grant: TMM' 1973: Grant: TMM 1973: Grant: TMM 1975: Crawford: TMM 1975: Crawford: TMM 1975: Dane: TMM 1975: Trempeleau: TMM Family Paradoxosomatidae Oxidus gracilis (Koch) 1976: Washburn: TMM 1978: Milwaukee: MPM Family Polvdesmidae Polydesmids unidentifiable to species level 1978: Milwaukee: MPM Polydesmus sp. Latreille 1915: Dane: Cahn 1915 Polydesmus inconstans Latzel 1910: Marinette: NMNH 1954: Marathon: MCZ 1955: Dane: FSCA 1977: Waukesha: MPM 1979: Ozaukee: MPM 1979: Waukesha: MPM 1983: Wisconsin: Kevan 1983 Pseudopoly desmus serratus (Say) n.d.: Waukesha: MPM 1911: Dane: NMNH 1955: Marquette: MCZ 1974: Crawford: TMM 1974: Ozaukee: TMM 1977: Racine: MPM 1980: Ozaukee: MPM 1980: Washington: MPM Scytonotus granulatus (Say) n.d.: Rock: MCZ, Shelley 1993b n.d.: Rock: ILNHS, Shelley 1993b 1947: Walworth: MCZ, Shelley 1993b 1949: Washington: MCZ, Shelley 1993b 1952: Walworth: MCZ, Shelley 1993b 1954: Sheboygan: FSCA, Shelley 1993b 1955: Dane: MCZ, Shelley 1993b 1955: Sauk: MCZ, Shelley 1993b 1955: Sauk: MCZ, Shelley 1993b 1955: Sauk: MCZ, Shelley 1993b 1960: Adams: FSCA, Shelley 1993b 1962: Vernon: ILNHS, Shelley 1993b 1970: Richland: Shelley 1993b 1973: Richland: TMM, Shelley 1993b 1973: Grant: TMM, Shelley 1993b 1974: Ozaukee: TMM, Shelley 1993b 1974: Trempeleau: TMM, Shelley 1993b 1975: Crawford: TMM, Shelley 1993b 1975: Crawford: TMM, Shelley 1993b 1977: Fond du Lac: TMM, Shelley 1993b Figure 1. The distribution of Polydesmida in Wisconsin; A = Xystodesmidae, O = Platyrhacidae, O = Para- doxosomatidae, and □ = Polydesmidae. Symbols are county records plotted at the center of each county. POTENTIAL WISCONSIN SPECIES: The following ten species have been found in states adjacent to Wisconsin and based on what is known about habitat needs likely occur in Wisconsin as well. Order Polyzoniida Family Polvzoniidae Polyzortium cryptocephalum (McNeill) Order Julida Family Blaniulidae Nopoiulus minutus (Brandt) Family Paraiulidae Aliulus rugosus (Bollman) A niulus paludicolens Causey Hakiulus diversifrons (Wood) Oriulus venustus (Wood) Family Julidae Cylindroiulus latistriatus latistriatus (Curtis) Order Callipodida Family Caspionetalidae Abacion texense (Loomis) Order Polydesmida Family Polvdesmidae Brachydesmus (Poly desmus) superus Latzel Family Platvrhacidae Euryurus leachii (Gray) Figure 2. The distribution of Julida in Wisconsin; A = Blaniulidae, O = Parajulidae, □ = Julidae. Symbols are county records plotted at the center of each county. DISCUSSION: Milliped collecting in Wisconsin has consisted primarily of miscellaneous specimens taken by entomologists in the course of other studies. Relatively few collections have been made in the northern half of the state, and no area has been sampled intensively. As a result, patterns found in the current known distribution of millipeds may be artifacts of collecting, rather than reflections of ecological conditions or true distributions. For example, Narceus am eric anus annularis was known only from four southern Wisconsin counties prior to 1992. However, field work that year found the species in northern Door County more than 160 km from its previously known range (Watermolen 1995). Additional field work will probably show that this species is found in many other parts of the state as well. The Order Polydesmida appears to be the most widely distributed order, with Polydesmids being collected in 20 counties, and Platyrhacids and Xystodesmids in eight counties each (Fig. 1). Scytonotus granulatus , known from 14 counties, appears to be the most widely distributed milliped. A uturus evides and Pleuroloma flavipes also appear to be wide ranging in the southern half of Wisconsin. Apheloria is known from the northern 2/3 of eastern North America from a line extending from central New York through southern Ontario, southern Wisconsin, and northern Iowa south to central Arkansas, northern Alabama, and northern South Carolina (Shelley and Whitehead 1986). This genus is currently being revised (Shelley, pers. comm.), and iowa probably will not stand. The only specimen of Apheloria from the state is a very old specimen with uncertain collection data. Because of the taxonomic uncertainty, I consider this record of A pheloria as virginiensis. Shelley (1990) provided a range map for the Xystodesmid tribe Chonaphini which shows Semionellus placidus ranging from southwestern Minnesota through central and eastern Wisconsin. The specific collection information that served as the basis of the map was not provided. However, Shelley did state that he had "seen specimens from Wisconsin." In his revision of Euryurus, the most recent work on the genus, Hoffman (1978) cited no records of E. leachii from Wisconsin. Material from Wisconsin has not been found in any museum collection, casting doubt on general records from Wisconsin (e.g., Chamberlin & Hoffman 1958 and Keevan 1983; Shelley, pers. comm.). The nearest records are from southern Illinois and central Indiana (Hoffman 1978). Populations of the tropical Oxidus gracilis may not be established in the state in natural habitats. The species is most commonly known from greenhouses (Causey 1943), and Blower (1985) pointed out the unlikelihood of it surviving temperate winters. One of the only two Wisconsin records of O. gracilis is from potting soil. The order Julida also appears to be widely distributed in the state (Fig. 2), with eight species occurring in 1 1 counties. The introduced Cylindroiulus caeruleocinctus is the most frequently collected julid. This species prefers calcareous soils (Blower 1985); as a result, its distribution may be restricted primarily to the eastern parts of the state. The order Polyzoniida is the least well known order in the state. Two collections have been made, only one of which is identifiable as Polyzonium mutabile. The orders Callipodida and Chordeumatida are also poorly known with only one and four species, respectively, occurring in the state. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters through a Lois Almon Research Grant and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay through the Cofrin Arboretum and Natural Areas program provided financial support for this work. J.P. Jass, Milwaukee Public Museum, and K. Methvin, Illinois Natural History Survey provided specimens for examination. R.M. Shelley, North Carolina State Museum of Natural Histoiy, generously shared Wisconsin milliped records. A. Lacy helped in obtaining much of the literature. OTERATUME CITED Blower, G.J. 1985. Millipedes: Keys and Notes for the Identification of the Species. E.J. Brill, London. Cahn, A.R. 1915. An ecological survey of the Wingra Springs Region, near Madison, Wisconsin, with special reference to its ornithology. BselL Wisconsin Natter. Hist, Soc, 13(3): 123-177. Causey, N.B. 1943. Studies on the life history and the ecology of the hothouse millipede, Orthomorpha gracilis (C.L. Koch 1847). American Midi Natter. 29(3):670-682. Causey, N.B. 1952. On two new species and new distribution records of Paraiulid millipeds from the eastern United States. Proc. Arkansas Acad, ScL 5:19-23. Causey, N.B. 1961. Austrotyla , a new milliped genus (Chordeumidea: Conotylidea: Conotylinae). Bull BioL Soc, Washington 74:251-266. Causey, N.B. 1967. Trichopetalum subterraneum , new species from Kentucky, new records and a key to the genus. Proc, BioL Soc, Washington. 80:117-122. Chamberlin, R.V. 1942. On a collection of Myriapods from Iowa. Canadian EntomoL 74:15-17 Chamberlin, R.V. and R.L. Hoffman. 1958. Checklist of the millipeds of North America. Bull U,S, NatL Mess, (212): 1-236. Enghoff, H.and R.M. Shelley. 1979. A revision of the millipede genus Nopoiulus (Diplopoda, Julida: Blaniulidae). EntomoL Scandinavica 10:65-72. Hoffman, R.L. 1951. The name of the common eastern Spirobolid milliped. Florida EntomoL 34(1): 15-16. Hoffman, R.L. 1962. The milliped genus Scytonotus in eastern North America, with the description of two new species. American MidL Natter, 67:241-249. Hoffman, R.L. 1978. North American millipeds of the genus Euryurus (Polydesmida: Platyrhacidae). Trans. American EntomoL Soc, 104:37-68. Hoffman, R.L. 1980. Classification of the Diplopoda. Museum dHistoire Naturelle, Geneva, Switzerland. 236 p. Hoffman, R.L. 1990. Diplopoda. pp. 835-860 In Dindal, D.L. (ed). Soil Biology Gtdde. John Wiley & Sons. Keeton, W.T. 1960. A taxonomic study of the milliped family Spirobolidae (Diplopoda: Spirobolida). Mem. American EntomoL Soc, (17): 1-146 Kevan, D.K. McE. 1983. A preliminary survey of known and potentially Canadian millipedes (Diplopoda). Canadian J. ZooL 61 :2956-2975. Shear, W.A. 1971. The milliped family Conotylidae in North America, with a description of the new family Adritylidae (Diplopoda: Chordeumida). BselL Mtes, Cony). ZooL 141:55-98. Shear, W.A. 1972. Studies in the milliped order Chordeumida (Diplopoda): a revision of the family Cleidogonidae and a reclassification of the order Chordeumida in the New World. BselL Mtes. Comp. ZooL 144:151-352. Shelley, R.M. 1980. Revision of the milliped genus Pleuroloma (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae). Canadian J. ZooL 58:129-168. Shelley, R.M. 1982. Revision of the milliped genus A uturus (Polydesmida: Platyrhacidae). Canadian J. ZooL 60:3249-3267. Shelley, R.M. 1984. A synopsis of the milliped genus Abacion Rafinesque (Callipodida: Caspiopetalidae) Canadian J. ZooL 62:980-988. Shelley, R.M. 1988. The millipeds of eastern Canada (Arthropoda: Diplopoda). Canadian J. ZooL 66:1638- 1663. Shelley, R.M. 1 990. A new milliped of the genus Metaxycheir from the Pacific Coast of Canada (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae), with remarks on the tribe Chonaphini and the western Canadian and Alaskan diplopod fauna. Canadian X ZooL 68:2310-2322. Shelley, R.M. 1993a. The milliped genus Underwoodia (Chordeumatida: Caselidae). Canadian J. ZooL 71: 168-176. Shelley, R.M. 1993b. Revision of the millipede genus Scytonotus Koch. Brinsley ana (19): 1-60. Shelley, R.M. and D.R. Whitehead. 1986. A reconsideration of the milliped genus Sigmoria , with a revision of Deltotaria and an analysis of the genera in the tribe Alpheloriini (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae). Mem. American EntomoL Soc. (35): 1-223. Watermolen, D.J. 1995. Distribution of the milliped Narceus americanus annularis (Diplopoda: Spirobolidae) in Wisconsin. Great Lakes EntomoL (In press). Wheeler, W.M. 1890. Hydrocyanic acid secreted by Polydesmus virginiensis, Drury. Psyche 5:442. NEWSLETTER OF THE WISCONSIN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 22(2 & 3): 1995 NEWS AND NOTES EUROPEAN NOCTUID MOTH FOUND IN WISCONSIN: A specimen of Noctua pronuba (Large Yellow Underwing) was collected on 18 August 1995 on Long Island, Ashland County, Wisconsin by Les Ferge. This rather striking moth, over two inches in wingspan, has brownish forewings and bright yellow hindwings with black along the outer margins. This record, plus another from Michigan reported by WES member George Balogh, represent a considerable and rapid range extention from known occurrences in Nova Scotia, Massachusetts and upstate New York. ARACHNOMANIA: WES member Martin Blasczyk has brought "Arachnomania" to the Milwaukee Public Museum through November 4th in the ground floor Curiosity Zone. Various large exotic spiders and several native species are on display, and Martin or volunteer Judy Lindsey are on hand from 1:30-2:30 PM Monday-Saturday to provide factual information to visitors, demonstrate how to observe these fascinating animals, and even how to capture and save a web. JAMES R. NEIDHOEFER: Internationally recognized Lepidopterist James R. Neidhoefer, formerly of Menominee Falls, passed away on July 29th in Arizona where he and his wife Elaine were living in retirement. He graduated from Marquette University in 1938 after studying Zoology and Botany, and began a doctorate in Zoology at Harvard University, but returned to work for the family floor covering business, eventually becoming its president. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America, serving in many leadership capacities from Scoutmaster to executive board member. James Neidhoefer was valued by the Milwaukee Public Museum as a collector, philanthropist and scholar, and for many years served as a director of the Friends of the Museum and Honorary Curator of Invertebrate Zoology. His great passion, and most significant gift to the Museum, was his magnificent Lepidoptera collection, more than 95,000 specimens of great beauty and scientific value collected from throughout the world. MONARCHS OF MEXICO TOUR: Looking for a way to beat the cold this winter? Millions of Monarch butterflies solve this problem by migrating to the mountain forests of central Mexico. On February 17-25, 1996, Milwaukee Public Museum curators Su Borkin and Carter Lupton are headed there too, and you are invited to come along. In addition to the Monarch overwintering site, the spectacular archeological ruins of Malinalco and Xochicalco, the silver mining town of Taxco, and museums, markets and other sites in and around Mexico City will be visited. To find out more, call Susan Borkin at (414) 278-2758 or Carter Lupton at (41 4) 278-2797. U. W. MUSEUM NOTE: There are lots of opportunities to help out at the U. W. Madison Insect Research Collection. Specimens and data you have can be added to the collection. If you are interested in helping mount or sort through material, or to take a look at what is in the collection, you can give Steve Krauth a call at (608) 262-0056. Steve can supply a little bench space for those who are interested. The facility is not geared to be a "public museum" for large groups, but individuals with an interest in things entomological are warmly welcomed. LEPIDOPTERA SEASON SUMMARY CONTRIBUTIONS WANTED: 1995 Wisconsin Lepidoptera records are wanted for inclusion in the season summary which is to appear in the next W. E. S. Newsletter. Things to report include rare or unusual species occurring in your area, unusually early or late occurrences, unusual abundance or scarcity, rearing or host plant data, flowers utilized by adults, or any other observations of interest. Please indicate locality, county and date of capture or observation, and also note if records are sight only, or documented by voucher specimens or photos. Please send reports by January 15 to: Les Ferge, 7119 Hubbard Avenue, Middleton, Wl 53562. BOOKS AND LITERATURE FOR SALE: Scudder, Smith, Guenee, Denton, Walker, Maynard, Howe, Clarke, Fabre, Weeks and others. Many high quality volumes about butterflies and moths are available. Send S.A. S. E. #10 envelope with .55 postage to: Eric H. Metzler, 1241 Kildale Square N., Columbus OH 43219-1306. WISCONSIN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Les Ferge, Editor 7119 Hubbard Avenue Middleton, Wl 53562 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED