V NEWSLETTER of the WISCONSIN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Volume 23, Numbers 2 & 3 Les Ferge, Editor November 1 996 ANNUAL MEETING TO BE HELD DECEMBER 7 IN MADISON The next meeting of the Wisconsin Entomological Society will be held on Saturday, December 7 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 meeting will begin at 1:30 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. Presentations tentatively scheduled include an overview of the 1996 season by Phil Pellitteri, prairie restoration in Gov. Nelson Park by Andre Khitsun, and a butterfly video by Dean Hansen. Also on the agenda is the election of officers for 1997. Nominations are welcome, and can be made at the meeting. Volunteers may contact Phil Pellitteri at the Department of Entomology, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, Wl 53706, or phone (608) 262-6510. DIAGNOSTIC LAB REVIEW OF 1996 Phil Pellitteri The more summers I survive, the more in awe I am of the adaptability and flexibility of insects and their jointed-legged relatives. No two collecting seasons are ever the same, and I have come to expect change and the unexpected rather than the predictable. We are supposed to get wiser with age, but to me a wiser entomologist becomes more humble. Some critters had off years. Most things that tried to overwinter above the snow line had trouble. The cold wet spring didn't help either. With ail that hostile weather, a high mortality of gypsy moth egg masses was noticed. German yellow jacket, eastern tent caterpillar, European earwigs, the Mirid plant bugs on ash and honeylocust trees and the Adelgids that cause galls on spruces had populations way below normal to almost nonexistent in the state. Monarchs were very late in arriving, with the first signs of reproduction in late July. The lack of strong southerly air flows in the spring prevented a number of insects from getting to the state on time. (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 23(2 & 3): 1996 But the winter did not stop everything. Japanese beetle numbers were as strong as last year, and unfortunately the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture has some very high gypsy moth trap counts coming in from around the state (100,000 moths). Who knows how bad it would have been without the winter mortality. There were a number of Chrysomlid beetles that overwinter as adults that came through the winter very strong. It helps to hide under the snow. A few Imperial moth adults ( Eacles imperialis) were found in our light traps, and I did receive a higher number of questions and calls on various Sphingid species including the Hummingbird clearwing, Catalpa sphinx and Pandorus sphinx. Among the strange activities, an orange-colored red spider mite (Eotetranychus sp.) appeared on ash trees in mid September. The trunks would be covered with thick webbing and millions of overwintering females would give the trunk a pumpkin orange appearance. The trees showed no signs of feeding damage. These mites do not look like any of the described North American fauna. Similar explosions have been reported this fall in Pennsylvania, Iowa and Minnesota. We are looking for help in finding out who this is. The mesquite borer (Megacyllene robusta) was recorded for the first time in Wisconsin. This cerambycid was associated with mesquite wood used in local restaurant kitchens. We also had the first state record for a small dipteran called the Alfalfa Blotch Leafminer. This insect was a serious problem out east in years past, but since the introduction of a parasitiod, it has lost much of pest status. An outbreak of fuzzy planthopper nymphs caught a few people's attention this July. The fall brought complaints of the multicolored lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis) and its fall congregations on sides of buildings. Unusually high (historic record setting) populations of European Corn Borer followed large overwintering numbers. With the use of genetically engineered com just starting, it will be interesting to see what long term impact we will see. We had enough complaints about Colorado Potato Beetles in people's gardens that we've concluded that widespread insecticide resistance is showing up in Wisconsin. After over 5,000 phone calls and samples, I would rate this year as a 4 or 5 on a ten point scale of insect madness. I will be looking for a banded woolybear that will give us a milder winter for 1996-97, and have the winter season to rest up for the earwig and tent caterpillar plagues that will result. LEfPIDOPTERA SEASON! SUMMARY CONTRIBUTIONS WANTED 1996 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 uncommon species occurring in your area, early or late occurrences, unusual abundance or scarcity, rearing or host plant data, or flowers utilized by adults. Please indicate county, locality, and date of capture or observation, and also note if records are sight only, or documented by voucher specimens or photos. Specimens whose identities are uncertain may be brought to the December meeting for verification, or arrangements to view specimens or photos at another time may be made individually. Please send reports by January 5 to: Les Ferge, 7119 Hubbard Avenue, Middleton, Wl 53562. NEWSLETTER OF THE WISCONSIN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 23(2 & 3): 1996 1996 WISCONSIN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP LIST (Column after names indicates year dues paid through and .Individual, £amily, Sustaining or £atron membership) BALOGH, GEORGE 1996-P 6275 LITEOLIER PORTAGE Ml 49002 BARBEAU, JODY 1996-1 2630 N. HUMBOLDT BLVD APT 204 MILWAUKEE Wl 53212 BARINA, TOM 1996-1 15050 VERACRUZ NEW BERLIN Wl 53151 BEHNKE, CHARLES 1996-1 242 HIGH ST MINERAL POINT Wl 53565-1210 BENJAMIN, DANIEL 1996-S 1656 CHADWELL DR SANTA MARIA CA 93454-3400 BLASCZYK, MARTIN 1994-1 MILW PUBLIC MUSEUM, 800 W WELLS ST MILWAUKEE Wl 53233 BLESER, CATHY A 1995-1 1096 PERRY CENTER MT HOREB Wl 53572 BOLLES, J CRAIG 1995-1 3934 MANITOU WAY MADISON Wl 53711 BORKIN, SUSAN S 1996-1 2119 E WOOD PL SHOREWOOD Wl 53211 BORTH, ROBERT 1996-1 6926 N BELMONT LN FOX POINT Wl 53217 BOSSERT, FREDERICK 1996-1 3392 SILVER LAKE DR WEST BEND Wl 53095 BRANDT, FREDERICK W 1994-1 1 1 525 88TH AVE NO MAPLE GROVE MN 55369 BRYANT, ROBERT 1996-1 522 OLD ORCHARD RD BALTIMORE MD 21229 BUCHLI, BYRON 1996-1 3055 FADNESS DR DEERFIELD Wl 53531 BURKHOLDER, WENDELL 1995-1 DEPT OF ENTOMOLOGY, 1630 LINDEN DR MADISON Wl 53706 CAPPS, DAN 1994-1 702 WHITEHALL DR MADISON Wl 53714 CARPENTER, ANITA 1996-1 304A SCOTT AVE OSHKOSH Wl 54901 CONWAY, PATRICK 1996-1 4533 STANLEY ST DOWNERS GROVE IL 60515 COPPEL, HARRY 1996-1 5025 SHEBOYGAN AVE APT 212 MADISON Wl 53705-2815 CRONIN, DENNIS 1994-1 1525 HOWE ST M.S. 402 RACINE Wl 53406-5011 DAUB, ED 1996-1 4258 MANITOU WAY MADISON Wl 53711 DERNEHL, NANCY 1995-1 UW-WAUKESHA, 1500 UNIVERSITY DR WAUKESHA Wl 53188 DESWARTE, DAVID 1996-1 1632 MT AIRY CT CROFTON MD 21114-1711 DICKE, ROBERT 1996-S 3717 COUNCIL CREST MADISON Wl 53711 DITTL, TIMOTHY 1996-1 1721 BOB-O-LINK CT WIS RAPIDS Wl 54494 DRECKTRAH, GENE 1996-S BIOLOGY DEPT, UW - OSHKOSH OSHKOSH Wl 54901 EBNER, JIM 1996-1 BOX 556 OKAUCHEE Wl 53069 EVANS, MARK 1996-1 217 ISLAND DR MADISON Wl 53705 FERGE, LES & CAROL 1996-F 71 19 HUBBARD AVE MIDDLETON Wl 53562 GREENLER, BARBARA 1996-1 1901 W PIONEER RD MEQUON Wl 53092 GRIMEK, HERBERT 1995-1 1101 TEMKINAVE MADISON Wl 53705 GRIMSTAD, PAUL 1996-1 UNIV OF NOTRE DAME, DEPT BIOL SCIENCES NOTRE DAME IN 46556-0369 HAINZE, JOHN 1996-1 4747 N LAKE DR MILWAUKEE Wl 53211-1257 HANSEN, DEAN 1996-1 402 SOUTH 6TH ST STILLWATER MN 55082 HENDERSON, RICH & KATHY 1996-F 2845 TIMBER LN VERONA Wl 53593 HERRMANN, DAVID 1996-1 2045 S LAYTON BLVD MILWAUKEE Wl 53215 H1LSENHOFF, WILLIAM 1996-1 DEPT OF ENTOMOLOGY, 1630 LINDEN DR MADISON Wl 53706 HOFFMAN, RANDY 1996-1 305 5TH ST WAUNAKEE Wl 53597 HOGG, DAVID & SUSAN 1996-S DEPT OF ENTOMOLOGY, 1630 LINDEN DR MADISON Wl 53706 HOWE, ROBERT 1994-S DEPT NAT AND APP SCI, UNIV OF WISCONSIN GREEN BAY Wl 54311-7001 JAVOREK, JEFF 1996-1 903 S CTH X MOSINEE Wl 54455 JOHNSON, ROBBYE 1995-1 2602 N 28TH ST SUPERIOR Wl 54880 KAISER, KURT & C BARRETT 1995-F 1320 W WASHINGTON AVE CLEVELAND Wl 53015-1429 KATOV1CH, KERRY 1996-1 1026 GAMMON LN APT 3 MADISON Wl 53719-2200 KHITSUN, ANDREY 1996-1 501 S MIDVALE BLVD APT 127 MADISON Wl 53711 KLEIN, MICHAEL 1996-P 1520 SILVER RD WOOSTER OH 44691 KMENTT, WALDEMAR 1996-S 4330 E WOOD TR BELOIT Wl 53511-7828 KNUDSON, JIM, PAT, MARIE 1996-F 6713 GLEASON RD S EDINA MN 55435 KONS JR, HUGO 1994-1 719 W SUMMER ST APPLETON Wl 54914 KORB, RANDY 1996-1 W6803 MANITOWOC RD MENASHA Wl 54952 KRUSE, JAMES 1996-1 1729 HIGH POINT RD APT 1 5 MIDDLETON Wl 53562-3179 KUGLER JR, WALTER M 1996-1 525 PIPER DR MADISON Wl 53711 LANG, JEAN 1995-1 132 VIA SERENA ALAMO CA 94507 LANGE, KENNETH 1 1995-1 1530 EAST ST BARABOO Wl 53913 LEARY, ROBERT 1996-1 612 S WESTFIELD ST OSHKOSH Wl 54901-5540 LEGLER, KARL & DOROTHY 1996-F 429 FRANKLIN ST SAUK CITY Wl 53583 LILLIE, RICHARD A 1997-1 8609 SCHOEPP RD SAUK CITY Wl 53583 LINTEREUR, GREG 1996-1 2120 UNIVERSITY AVE #413 MADISON Wl 53705 LINTEREUR, LEROY J 1995-S 1428 MARY ST MARINETTE Wl 54143 NEWSLETTER OF THE WISCONSIN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 23(2 & 3): 1996 LEPIDOPTERA C0MSERVAT10M SYMPOSIUM MOTES Ann Sweogefl Members Scott and Ann Swengel attended the 2nd International Symposium on Conserving Lepidoptera, at the University of Warwick in Coventry, England on September 6-8, 1996. Ann spoke about their surveys of prairie and barrens butterflies, analyzed to study management effects on species restricted to these habitats (published in 1996 in Biological Conservation 76: 73-85, with a second paper in press at the same journal). If you would like a copy, just write to Ann Swengel, 909 Birch St., Baraboo, Wl 53913. The frequent rotational burning preferred for conservation management turns out to be quite unfavortable, while such alternatives as mowing, haying (removing the clippings after mowing), and grazing are more favorable. However, no single management type is optimal for all specialists in the same habitat type, suggesting that butterfly conservation strategies should include both management consistency within a habitat patch but management differentness among habitat patches. The logical conclusion of this is that no one management formula or set of ecological processes is optimal (or "most natural") for an ecosystem - since each species native to that ecosystem would no doubt define these differently! Thus, Ann concluded by questioning assumptions seemingly implied by current approaches to ecosystem conservation: that science knows well enough how nature once operated and how to replicate that in current habitat management, that natural ecosystem functioning naturally favors diversity (especially rare species), and that replicating these processes will produce desireable outcomes for these rare species. A subsequent plenary speaker, Kieth Brown of Brazil (and once a student at UW-Madison), redisplayed Ann's chart on these assumptions, stating that these concerns also apply to the tropics. Other speakers repeatedly raised concerns about both the increasing intensification of agricultural practices (reducing the amount of traditional grazing and haying, more favorable managements for Lepidoptera) as well as the abandonment of marginal farmlands, which often grow over into forest and fragment open habitats. As always, the majority of Lepidoptera (moths) received the minority of air time, but a century or more (!) of data on European moth distribution and phenology was used to shed light on the effects of climatic change. Afterward, we spent a week touring the countryside with amazingly sunny weather. It turns out that a major Painted Lady outbreak occurred this summer, so we saw many of that butterfly, as well as tortoiseshells, peacocks, and other common species. NEWSLETTER OF THE WISCONSIN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 23(2 & 3): 1996 MACARTHUR, KENNETH 1994-S 1 5900 W MONTEREY DR NEW BERLIN Wl 53151 MARTIN, ROBERT 1996-1 1310 ORANGE ST RACINE Wl 53404-2932 MATZKE, CURTIS 1996-1 181 7 WESLEY AVE JANESVILLE Wl 53545 MAXWELL, JUDI 1996-1 5834 BALSAM RD APT 3 MADISON Wl 53711-4248 MCILRATH, STUART M 1994-1 2130 GRANDVIEW PL LACROSSE Wl 54601 MERGENER, MATT 1994-1 W149 N8373 RIMROCK RD GERMANTOWN Wl 53022 MERKHOFER, RICHARD 1996-S 39 PARKVIEW DR APPLETON Wl 54915 MERTINS, JAMES 1996-1 3028 NORTHRIDGE PKWY AMES IA 50010 MEYER, SANDRA 1995-1 10320 W GOOD HOPE RD MILWAUKEE Wl 53224 NARF, PHILIP A 1995-1 2405 WAUNONA WAY MADISON Wl 53713 NIELSEN, MOGENS 1996-S 3415 OVERLEA DR LANSING Ml 48917 NOONAN, GERALD R 1995-1 MILW PUBLIC MUSEUM, 800 W WELLS ST MILWAUKEE Wl 53233 OLSEN, LEE 1994-1 3981 HWY 34 PORT WASHINGTON Wl 53074-9761 OTTO, LORRIE 1996-1 9701 N LAKE DR MILWAUKEE Wl 53217 PARKINSON, JAMES C 1996-1 1951 JAMES ST MOSINEE Wl 54455 PEACOCK, JOHN W 1996-1 185 BENZLER LUST RD MARION OH 43302-8369 PELLITTERI, PHIL 1995-1 DEPT OF ENTOMOLOGY, 1630 LINDEN DR MADISON Wl 53706 PFUTZENREUTER, MARY A 1995-1 E2249 ROCKLEDGE RD LUXEMBURG Wl 54217-9702 PHELPS, LAURENCE 1996-S 6472 WILSON RD ROCK SPRINGS Wl 53961 PLEYTE, TOM 1994-1 PO BOX 134 ATHELSTANE Wl 54104-0134 RADKE, DAVID 1 996-P 1076 W MURRAY LN HUBERTUS Wl 53033 RAY, JULIE 1996-1 RT 3 BOX 251 CHIPPEWA FALLS Wl 54729 ROCHELEAU, TOM & NINA 1996-F DEPT OF ENTOMOLOGY, 3100 BUENA VISTA MADISON Wl 53704 ROMEYN, RICHARD 1996-1 W5306 EMERALD CT LACROSSE Wl 54601 ROOS, KELLY 1996-1 PO BOX 52 COLGATE Wl 53017 SCHABEL, HANS G 1996-1 COLL OF NAT RESOURCES, UNIV OF WIS STEVENS POINT Wl 54481-3897 SCHEUERELL, CLARE 1994-1 2813 S 33 ST MILWAUKEE Wl 53215-3618 SIEKER, KATHERINE T 1 996-P 5114 MARATHON DR MADISON Wl 53705 STIEFEL, JOHN & JANICE 1996-S W6311 MULLET LA PLYMOUTH Wl 53073 4 STILLWAUGH, DON 1994-1 117AROB ROY LN PROSPECT HEIGHTS IL 60070 SULLIVAN, RAYMOND 1996-1 125 N 123RDST MILWAUKEE Wl 53226-3809 SWENGEL, ANN B & SCOTT 1 996-P 909 BIRCH ST BARABOO Wl 53913 THOMPSON, BARBARA 1995-1 N6648 SCOTCH COULEE RD WEST SALEM Wl 54669 THRELFALL, ANNA M 1996-1 N3438 WOODLAWN RD KENNAN Wl 54537 THRELFALL, MAARIT H 1996-1 5518 BARTON RD MADISON Wl 53711 TOMASKO, STEVE 1995-1 814 W OLIN AVE MADISON Wl 53715-2142 TRICK, JOEL A 1996-1 1910 EASTMAN AVE APT A GREEN BAY Wl 54302 TURNBULL, JAY 1995-S N1632 SUGARBUSH RD ANTIGO Wl 54409 VOGEL, THOMAS 1996-1 522 WISCONSIN AVE KEWAUKEE Wl 54216 WEISMAN, KEN 1996-1 2893 HUMBOLDT RD GREEN BAY Wl 54311-5746 WESTOVER, DAVE 1996-1 324B N. MONROE ST WATERLOO Wl 53594 WILLIAMS, ANDREW H 1996-1 PO BOX 1646 MADISON Wl 53701-1646 WILLOUGHBY, THORNTON 1994-S 425 DALE DR BURLINGTON Wl 53105 YOUNG, ALLEN M 1996-1 MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM, 800 W WELLS ST MILWAUKEE Wl 53233 YOUNG, DR DANIEL K 1996-1 DEPT OF ENTOMOLOGY, 1630 LINDEN DR MADISON Wl 53706 ZOELLER, GERTRUDE 19954 267 N6685 BEACON HILL DR SUSSEX Wl 53089 INSTITUTIONAL SUBSCRIBERS DEPT OF NAT RESOURCES 1995-1 BUR ENDANGERED RESOURCES, PO BOX 7921 MADISON Wl 53707 M ICH NAT FEATURES INV 1995-1 C/O SUE RIDGE, P O BOX 30444 LANSING Ml 48909-7944 REFERENCE LIBRARY 1996-1 MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM, 800 W WELLS ST MILWAUKEE Wl 53233 WISCONSIN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Les Ferge, Editor 7119 Hubbard Avenue Middleton, Wl 53562 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED