SUMMER 2002 INSECT FIELD TRIPS
BY THE MADISON AUDUBON SOCIETY

(NOTE: These are not collecting trips.)

Saturday, June 29
BUTTERFLIES OF
CHEROKEE MARSH
Dane County
10:00 A.M. to Noon

On this morning trip we’ll
? observe and learn about
butterflies, those small but
exquisitely beautiful
creatures that dance about our
ankles in summer. Butterfly
enthusiasts Karl Legler and Dave
Fallow will lead this two-hour hike at
Cherokee Marsh on the northeast
side of Madison. We will observe a
variety of butterflies
as they take nectar
from wildflowers,
and learn about
their identification,
behavior, and
lifestyle.

Bring binoculars if you have
them (close-focusing ones work best)
or Just get close! It's best to wear
long pants and a hat for protection
from the sun.

DIRECTIONS: Meet at 10:00 A.M.
On the north side of Madison take
Northport Drive (Highway 113) then
turn north on Sherman Ave. Meet at
the Cherokee Marsh parking lot at
the north end of Sherman Ave. The
trip will last until noon. Call Karl
Legler only if you have a question
about the trip, at (608) 643-4926
(Sauk City). 4k

Saturday, July 6
MADISON BUTTERFLY COUNT
Dane County
9:00 A.M. to Noon

Our 12th annual count! Mark this
hike and census on your calendar !
The leader, bird and butterfly
enthusiast Jon Sutton, will provide
identification expertise. Each year
within a few weeks of the Fourth of
July, butterfly enthusiasts all over
North America participate in a
census of butterfly species. Each
count is conducted at several sites
within a 15 mile diameter circle and
the same circle is surveyed each
year.

These censuses help to monitor
the health of our butterfly popu-
lations and the results of more than
400 North American counts are
published in an annual report. Last
year on the Madison census, in spite
of rain, 20 people in 3 groups
counted for a combined total of 9.2
hours and found 792 butterflies of
37 species. This year’s group will
have an enjoyable time finding,
observing and counting butterflies.
Counters are needed. If you can
Identify butterflies, or can help spot
butterflies, or just want to see and
learn about butterflies, join us on
this count. Observe with eye or
close-focusing binoculars. Dress for
protection from the heat and sun; a
hat is recommended. Bring a lunch
as the trip will last until noon.

Y**;?f* :

(Anyone who wants to continue
counting in the afternoon at another
site can do so.)

The organizer (North American
Butterfly Association) requires a
$3.00 fee from each count partici-
pant (similar to the Christmas Bird
Count) to cover administrative and
publishing costs.

Meet at the parking lot at the
McKay Center in the UW Arboretum
at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 6. We
will count until noon.

DIRECTIONS: Heading west on the
Beltline (Hwy 12), take the Seminole
Highway exit and go north. After
several blocks you will see the sign at
the Arboretum entrance. Turn right
into the Arboretum and continue
until the road ends at the McKay
Nature Center parking lot.

Call the leader, Jon Sutton, at
(608) 238-7676 only if you have a
question about the butterfly count or
if you would like to count at your
own favorite site.

Saturday, July 13
DRAGONFLIES OF THE
UW ARBORETUM
Dane County — 9:30 - 1 1 :30 a.m.
This two-hour walk at the UW
Arboretum (we may go to a second
site) will focus on dragonflies, those
magnificent “living flashes of light”.
There are 111 species in Wisconsin.
Although dragonflies occupy a
prominent place in the web of life in
Please see FIELD TRIPS, Page 2

The Wisconsin Entomological Society Newsletter 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, and research requests to the editor:

Janice Stiefel, 2125 Grove Road, Bailey’s Harbor, WI 54202, e-mail: jstiefel@itol.com
NOTE: Please report any address changes to Les Ferge, 7119 Hubbard Ave., Middleton, WI 53562. e-mail: ferge@chorus.net

Wisconsin Entomological Societu Newsletter — .lung 2002

Page 2

FIELDS TRIPS, from Page 1

our aquatic ecosystems, they have,
until recently, been one of the most
neglected of nature’s beauties. This
trip will give dragonflies the attention
and respect they deserve and we’ll
learn about the identification,
biology, behavior, beauty, and life-
style of the various species we
encounter. Observe with binoculars
if you have them, (the closer your
binoculars can focus the better). Or
just get close!

Leader will be dragonfly and
butterfly enthusiast Karl Legler
(author of a color photographic guide
to Common Dragonflies of
Wisconsin .) Dress for protection
from the heat and sun-a hat and
long pants are recommended.

Meet at the parking lot at the
McKay Center in the UW Arboretum
at 9:30 A.M.

DIRECTIONS: Heading west on the
Beltline (Hwy 12), take the Seminole
Highway exit and go north. After
several blocks you will see the sign at
the Arboretum entrance. Turn right
into the Arboretum and continue
until the road ends at the McKay
Nature Center parking lot. Call the
leader, Karl Legler, at (608) 643-
4926 (Sauk City) only if you have a
question about the trip.

Friday, July 19

THE SECRET NIGHTLIFE
OF MOTHS
Sauk County
8:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M.

Les Ferge, Wisconsin's foremost field
Lepidopterist, will lead this evening
trip to Ferry Bluff State Natural Area
along the Wisconsin River near Sauk
City. After many years of surveying
throughout the state Les has co-
authored the Milwaukee Public
Museum’s Checklist of Wisconsin
Moths (2000) summarizing the
distribution and seasonal occurrence
of 1,209 species. Les will use sugar
baiting and black light to attract a
variety of moths for observation and
discussion. Bring a flashlight and
mosquito repellent.

DIRECTIONS : We will carpool and
leave at 8:00 p.m. from the parking
lot of Kohl's Food Store in Middleton
at the intersection of Allen Blvd. and

Century Avenue. If you prefer to
meet us at Ferry Bluff, call Karl
Legler. (608) 643-4926 (Sauk City),
to get directions and leave your
phone number so we can notify you
if there are any changes to the trip.
Call Les at (608) 836-9438 only if
you have questions about the trip.

FIRST DOOR COUNTY
INSECT
FIELD TRIP

Saturday, June 15
Butterflies, Moths, Dragonflies
and Miscellaneous Insects
Door County
9:00 A.M* to Noon

Join naturalists Janice Stiefel and
Joan Berkopec for a morning of
insect intrigue. We will look for
butterflies, day-flying moths,
dragonflies, eggs and
caterpillars — whatever we can see
and discover. This fun-filled
morning will be spent in the Mud
Lake Wildlife Area north of Bailey's
Harbor. Water-proof footwear is
essential for this trip. We will meet
at 9:00 a.m. at the end of Lime Kiln
Rd.

Limited to 15 participants.

Please register by calling
Janice at (920) 839-9796 or
E-mail, jstiefel@itol.com
by June 7, 2002.

DIRECTIONS: From Bailey’s

Harbor, go north on Hwy. 57 for 4 l /2
miles to Lime Kiln Rd. Turn right (or
east) and go all the way to the end of
the road, where you will see the Mud
Lake Wildlife Area sign.

Color Guide to Common
Dragonflies of Wisconsin

Revised Edition 1 998

by Karl & Dorothy Legler
Dave Westover

A well-organized, colorful and infor-
mational book on Wisconsin dragon-
flies. It contains 76 species, 167 color
photos and drawings, 64 line illus-
trations. To obtain a copy, contact:
Karl Legler
429 Franklin St.

Sauk City, WI 53583
(608) 643-4926
E-mail: karlndot@chorus.net

Are you interested in
taking a different kind
of vacation?

T he Clearing offers week-long
classes in the arts and fine
crafts, humanities and natural
sciences. Classes are informal,
and there’s ample time to enjoy
quiet forest trails, and beautiful
sunsets.

Located in Door County,
Wisconsin, The Clearing is on the
National and State Registers of
Historic Places. For more
information, or to request a class
schedule, please call (920) 854-
4088/toll free (877) 854-3225, or
write The Clearing P.O. Box 65
Ellison Bay, WI 542 10-0065. Or
visit The Clearing on the web at
www.theclearing.org_

Upcoming Entomological
Summer Events

The Mysterious World of
Butterflies and Moths

Saturday, August 3
9:00 A.M. — 4:00 p.m.
Instructor .... Janice Stiefel

Delve into the fascinating, secret world
of butterflies and moths, including
their immature phase — the cater-
pillars. Through slides, stories, live
specimens and a meadow walk
(depending on the weather), you will
come to appreciate these often
misunderstood members of the insect
world. You will learn the plant
requirements for various species, and
how to rear them from their egg stage,
through the caterpillar phase, and
finally to the beautiful adults that you
see flying through your gardens and
around your lights at night.
Photographing butterflies and moths
will also be discussed.

Participants are encouraged to
bring and share five specimens,
chrysalides and cocoons.

Wisconsin Entomological Societu Newsletter — June 2002

Page 3

C aterpillars are
fascinating
creatures in
their own right and
represent a vital stage
in the life cycle of some
of our most remarkable
insects. The long and
short of it is that
caterpillars range in length from about
one-fourth to five Inches long. Diversity in

You’ye round a Caterpillar—
Now V&at?

by Valerie A. Passoa

the eyes. On the way home, make
sure the lid is secure and keep the
size is rivaled only by their vast array of container out of the sun. Many

colors and patterns. Black, brown, green,
red, orange, yellow, and blue among
others, combine to form bands, rings,
dots, and patches on caterpillars. If this
weren't enough, projections of all sorts
including hairs, spines, bumps, and horns
lend to the distinctive look of caterpillars.

Caterpillars are everywhere, con-
suming a great variety of plants that
sustain them on their journey from egg to
adult. Typically, caterpillars feed on foli-
age, but also eat flowers, roots, seeds, and
fruits. Rarely, they may utilize wood,
moss, fungi, and woolly aphids. Amaz-
ingly, some caterpillars are small enough
to live within the flat layers of a leaf or
actually breathe oxygen underwater! Often
incorrectly referred to as worms, cater-
pillars are the larval stage of moths and
butterflies.

Finding caterpillars is fun! Beyond
observing them or snapping a photograph,

items you probably have at home
make excellent rearing containers.
Plastic boxes such as those used
for food or shoes are ideal.
There’s also plastic cups with lids,
glass jars, aquariums, or screened
cages. All lids must have vent
holes for air exchange. A steady
supply of fresh food is critical to
rearing the caterpillar. If you were
lucky enough to find the caterpillar
on its foodplant, then you already
know what to feed it.

Continue to supply the same
kind of leaves. If the caterpillar
was on-the-move, offer an
assortment of leaves from
surrounding trees and other
plants. Black cherry, oak, birch,
willow, and plantain may be
accepted. Some caterpillars are
general feeders, while others are
quite picky. Rinse the leaves in

why not rear one? Complete metamorpho-
sis demonstrated by this order (Lepi- water and dry them before offering
doptera) is a fascinating experience that them to your guest. Depending on
kids, in particular, won’t forget. Basic the "wilt-factor" of the leaves and
principles of physiology, ecology, and
Insect behavior can be learned by rearing
caterpillars. The life cycle may be studied
in as much or little detail as you like.

Rearing caterpillars also makes an
engrossing low-cost science project for
school.

If you find a caterpillar on a plant, do

how fast the caterpillar Is eating
them, a leaf or two may be added
as needed with no special care. To
keep them fresh, leaves can be
pushed into a small container
containing damp sand or the
petiole or branch can be wrapped
in moist paper towel.

not pull it off the stem or leaf. Many
caterpillars tighten their grip when
threatened and damage will occur to the
caterpillar. Instead, remove the leaf by the
petiole or take a small section of the plant
and place it in any container you may have
with you. Carefully note the exact location
and name (if possible) of the food plant for
future use. Scoop-up a wandering cater-
pillar in a container. Generally speaking,
smooth caterpillars may be touched. Do
not handle spiny caterpillars. Fluid from
the spines may cause stinging and rashes.
More so, hairs found on other caterpillars
can be very irritating when introduced in

discouraged if

is called an
instar. Keep the
container free of
frass (caterpillar
droppings), well-
ventilated,
uncrowded, and
out of direct sun-
light. Don’t be
your caterpillar

L ike all insects, caterpillars
have an exoskeleton. As
the caterpillar grows, the
exoskeleton can only stretch so
much. At certain intervals, your
caterpillar will remain motionless
for a day or two and molt. This
process replaces the old skin with
a new one. A molting caterpillar is
very vulnerable and may appear
sickly. Interfering with this
process could harm the caterpillar.
Startling appearance changes are
common after a molt; don’t miss
it. The interval between each molt

UUV/tU.

vi

dies. Diseases caused by bacteria,

. viruses, and other pathogens often
kill caterpillars. Also, prior to
collecting your caterpillar, certain
species of flies or wasps may have
parasitized the insect. If this is so,
only a fly or wasp will be
produced.

rhen the caterpillar
matures, noticeable
changes can be seen.
The now sated caterpillar stops
eating, excretes undigested food,
shrinks slightly, and may develop
a red or yellow hue. At this time,
place several upright sticks in your
rearing container. Also add a
small amount of leaf-litter and
several inches of substrate such as
soil, sand, or peat moss to the
bottom of the container for those
caterpillars that pupate at ground
level or below. After the caterpillar
has pupated, there’s no need to
move the container. Your
conscientious care should be
rewarded by the emergence of a
beautiful, new moth or butterfly.
Enjoy the pleasure of releasing the
butterfly by day or the moth by
night in the area where you found
its caterpillar. You can also start
an insect collection. Many young
people develop a lifelong interest in
nature or careers in biology or
entomology through insect
collecting. ^

© 2000 Valerie A. Passoa

Valerie is a member of WES and V.P.
of The Ohio Lepidopterists. A wildlife
biologist, Valerie has been rearing
caterpillars Jor almost thirty years .
Her primary interest is tmmatures,
with an emphasis on the life history of
wild silk moths (Saturniidae). She is
currently co-authoring a book for the
U.S. Forest Service on the oak-
feeding caterpillars of Missouri.
Valerie resides in Ohio with her
husband, Steve, a professional
Leptdopterist and her son Ethan, a
born naturalist.

Wisconsin Entomological Soctetu Newsletter — June 2002

METTLES 3il€

by Jaime Corbisler

R ecently, more
attention has been
turned towards the
biological and economical
damages caused by invasive
aggressive species. One of the more
well known of these species is the
wetland plant Purple Loosestrife.
Many people have realized the
detrimental impacts that Purple
Loosestrife has in moist habitats and
have been trying to control or
eradicate it. But this hardy
perennial offers quite a challenge as
it drops 2.7 million seeds each year.
Dense stands establish quickly,
discouraging mechanical or hand
removal and leaving chemical
treatment as one of the last resorts.
However, an option outside chemical
control is using a biological control
for purple loosestrife which has
proven an effective technique for
controlling this plant.

In many states and in Canada
four different insects have been
released to combat the plant. In
Wisconsin, Hylobius trans -
versovtttatus , a root boring weevil
and Galerucella pusilla and
Galerucella calmartensis, leaf-eating
beetles are being used. Galerucella
beetles, or now more locally known
as Purple Loosestrife Beetles, are
widely used.

Many local organizations
throughout the state are cooperating
to release the beetles into dense
sites. The beetles defoliate the plants
to such a point where the plant has
to exert its energy into survival and
not into seed production. After a few
years, the beetles begin to impact the
dense stands. Originally, it was
expected that results would take ten
to twenty years before visual changes
could be noted. Some areas are
seeing apparent results in about
seven to ten years and some areas
only five years. Although the self-
perpetuating beetles will never fully
eradicate the plants, an 80%
reduction has been observed.

Brook Woods, of the Wisconsin
DNR, heads the biological control
program and has recently developed
information for school groups to

LOOSESTRIFE

incorporate raising the beetles
into a classroom project.
Public citizens are also
encouraged to participate by
assisting in rearing and
releasing the beetles at sites near
their homes. Currently, there is
funding available to help local
groups to start projects by offering
them free equipment and some
braining. All you need is a 6' x 6’
sunny spot to get the effort going.
There is no guarantee this level of
equipment support will continue, so
now is the best time to start your
project if you can. If your area has
loosestrife problems and you’ve been
looking for a project to build
camaraderie and a read hands-on
sense of environmental husbandry at
your office or in your community,
this could be it!

Other environmental steward-
ship opportunities exist in your
community outside the scope of
Purple Loosestrife. The Door County
Invasive Species Team is involved
with ongoing projects as well as
developing a long-term project that
will begin in July of 2002. Anyone
can participate in the group activities
which help to educate the public
about the concerns and
consequences of all invasive
aggressive species.

If interested in bio-control or just
looking for project ideas. You are
welcome to contact Jaime Corbisier
of the Door County Soil and Water
Conservation Department.

j corbisi@co . door . wi . us

Other State-wide contacts are:

Brook Woods,

DNR state-wide representative
WoodsB@dnr .state, wi . us
608-221-6349

Page 4

Iron Lion or
Lepidopterist

by Bret Rappaport

E ngland has long had a love-
affair with natural
gardening. That long tradition is
evidenced by gardens — both famous
and not-so-famous. For example,
Sissinghurst Castle in Kent is
surrounded by a natural landscape
planted between 1930 and 1961.
Now maintained by the National
Trust, it is probably the most visited
garden in Britain. Another well-
known natural garden is at Hidcote
Manor where plants are allowed
their freedom to grow and there is a
wild area in the valley called
“Wilderness.”

Natural landscaping is being
practiced today at some of Britain’s
most treasured landmarks. In
Surrey, Sutton Place, built by Henry
VIII, originally contained formal
gardens, but now has a complex of
gardens with natural features. There
is a 25-acre lake that attracts
Mallards, Tufted Ducks, Pochard,
and little Ringed Plovers that nest on
the banks, while Mandarin Ducks
find a home among old willows.
Meadows are left free to blossom
each year with a startling array of
wildflowers.

Perhaps
England's most
famous natural
landscaper was Sir
Winston Churchill.

In the gardens of
his country home,

Chartwell, he
created pools of water and used tons
of rock to naturalize 170 acres of
land which

Please see CHURCHILL, Page 5

S. Kelly Kearns

Bureau of Endangered Resources
KearnS@mailO 1 . dnr .state, wi. us
608-267-5066

Gene Tiser

DNR North East region
tiserg@dnr.state.wi. us
920-492-5836

Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was
bom at Blenheim Palace on St Andrew's
Day, November 30, 1874. His father. Lord
Randolph Churchill, was a younger son of
the Duke of Marlborough. His mother,
Jennie Jerome, was the daughter of an
American business tycoon.

Churchill was Great Britain’s Prime
Ministerfrom 1 940-45 and.l 951-55. He died
in 1965.

Wisconsin Entomological Society Newsletter — June 2002 Page 5

CHURCHILL, from Page 4

attracted wildlife. Around Chartwells red
brick country home, were fields with
patches of uncut meadows and hard-
wood forests. The home and garden
walls ran thick with vines. Of all of
nature, Sir Winston loved butterflies
best. He became a full-fledged lepi-
dopterist, as well as statesman,
historian, writer, artist, and politician.
His interest went back to butterflies he
watched while exercising in a camp yard
while a prisoner during the Boer War.

During the 1930s, he made his land
more receptive to butterflies by planting
both host and food species. He planted
Lavender and grew Buddleia. Early on
he learned that native plants must be
included in the landscape to increase the
likelihood of successful butterfly breed-
ing. He eschewed (shunned) roses
because they didn’t provide nectar.
Fennel was planted to attract Swallow-
tails, Stinging Nettle grown for the Red
Admiral Butterfly ( Vanessa atalanta).

When he returned to Chartwell after
World War II, he raised and released
between 1,000 and 1,500 butterflies
yearly. He spent days gazing as they
fluttered from flower to flower. The brick
summer house was converted to a
butterfly roost with caterpillars raised on
wooden benches. Sir Winston would sit
for hours watching the emergence of the
chrysalides and then release them into
his garden. One special, native butterfly
was the Black-Veined White, extinct In
England where it had fallen silent victim
to the poison sprays used to control
orchard insects. Churchill, along with L.
W. Newman, pioneer entomologist, deter-
mined to use Chartwell to reintroduce
the species. He reestablished a core
population by planting Hawthorn and
placing nests of larvae in the host plants.

“ How wonderfully the Almighty
takes care of the creatures of his
creation ,” he mused at age 75 while
examining a pair of American Oak
Silkmoth cocoons. Churchill, too, took
care of those creatures. He recognized
the need for and beauty of the elements
of nature and took steps to preserve and
protect them. ^

© 1995 Bret Rappaport

Bret is the past national president of Wild
Ones Natural Landscapers. He has four
children and lives with his wife and family
on a one-acre lot in Lake County, Illinois —
complete with a stream, prairie and fen.

THE GOLDENROD BEETLE

( Epicauta pennsylvanica )

Order: Coleoptera (Beetles)

Family: Meloidae (Oil or Blister Beetles)

by Janice Stiefel

The Goldenrod Beetle

Photo: Janice Stiefel 8/12/92
Sheboygan County, WI

hen the
Goldenrods are
blooming during
the months of August and
September, I often find
hundreds of these fasci-
nating beetles crawling
amongst the blossoms.

Their presence in our
wildflower meadow
prompted me to investigate
as to whether they were
beneficial or harmful.

The Goldenrod Beetle,
or Black Blister Beetle, is
Ve-s/a in. long. Its shape is
elongate and slender and
the color is uniformly dull
black, sparsely clothed with
black pubescence. Its entire
surface has fine, dense
impressed dots. The upper
surface of the prothorax
(pronotum) is almost square
and the angles near the head
are rounded. The median
•impressed line is distinct; the
basal impression is shallow.

The life history of the Blister
Beetles in the genus Epicauta is
rather complicated These insects
undergo hyper metamorphosis,
with the different larval instars
(molts) being quite different In
form. The first larval instar, an
active, long-legged form called a
triungulin, seeks out a
grasshopper egg or a bee nest
and then molts. In the species
that develop in bee nests, the
triungulin usually climbs on a
flower and attaches itself to a bee
that visits the flower. The bee
carries the triungulin to the nest,
whereupon the triungulin attacks
the bee’s eggs. The second instar
is somewhat similar to the
triungulin, but the legs are
shorter. In the third, fourth, and
fifth Instars, the larva becomes
thicker — resembling a Scarab

Beetle. The sixth instar has a
darker and thicker exoskelton
and lacks functional appendages.
This instar is usually known as
the coarctate larva or
pseudopupa, and it Is the instar
that hibernates. The seventh
instar is small, white, and active
(though legless) but apparently
does not feed and soon
transforms to the true pupa.

The larvae of many Blister
Beetles are considered beneficial,
for they feed on grasshopper
eggs. A few live In bee nests in the
larval stage, where they feed on
bee eggs and on the food stored
in the cells with the eggs.

The name “Blister" Beetle is
based on the fact that the body
contains cantharidin, a sub-
stance capable of blistering the
skin. This chemical is extracted
from the body of certain species
and used medicinally.

© 2002 Janice Stiefel

Wisconsin Entomological Societu Newsletter — June 2002

Charlotte's Urban Dwelling

A Nonfiction Tale by Mark Salentine

Page 6

MS

-ost of us know at least
, something about the tale
X j|^of "Charlotte’s Web ” with
its farm setting of the Zuckerman
family, talking animals, such as
Wilbur the pig, and, of course, the
sweet and sensitive, large, gray
spider — Charlotte.

Wait a minute! Talk about your
oxymoron! Did I just use the words
“ sweet and sensitive ” to describe a
spider? (Ugh!) A large, dingy gray
spider?! (Double ugh!!) I may have
grown up being a big fan of the
comic book super hero, Spider-Man,
but I am in no way a spider fan,
believe me. However, I’ve always
appreciated intelligence and
sensitivity to other’s needs, and,
believe it or not, I think I found a
spider with those traits. She lives
just outside my sty--uh, crib-I mean,
APARTMENT! Anyway, she’s large
and gray. Her body would cover the
tip of my pinkie; her legs could easily
stretch to cover the tip of my thumb.

I call her Charlotte.

Knowing the three rules of real
estate being location, location,
location, Charlotte chose to set up
her sprawling web home right next to
the porch light of the only entrance
door to my Milwaukee flat. She had
toiled to create her web artwork, like
a fine lace version of Jackson
Pollack’s “dripping brush" works, by
connecting it from the aluminum
siding by the light,
running it out on the
awning above, then taking
the 45 degree angle back
to the siding below. She
was set and ready. Just
as the bulbs in Times
Square and the neons in
Vegas draw in tourists like flies, my
humble 75 watt porch light would
draw in the flies like tourists.
“ Charlotte’s Grocery Store: Always
Open.”

The base of the light itself had
enough space out from the wall
where Charlotte could sleep and
dine privately. Extra Insurance was
offered by the awning protecting her
home from the elements. Smart!
Very smart! However, Charlotte did

not clear her
construction with
the zoning
commission (me),
and her home
effectively obstructed
the easy entrance
and exit from my
abode. I am 6 ft. tall.

The awning is 6 ft. 2 in. That does
not leave room to hang any Jackson
Pollack art or any other
construction — artistic or not. I tried
to avoid her web at first, ducking my
head and bending it to the right side
as I made the 90 degree left turn out
of my apartment. When arriving
home, I would try to swing wide,
then cut right at the last minute to
avoid a head of “bug bones’* fresh
from the tables of “Charlotte’s
Restaurant: No Reservations

Needed” Of course, the shortest
distance between two points is a
more natural oath to chose , and I
often unthinkingly did so.

YYr elcome t0 “Charlotte’s
VV Hair Salon: If Your Hair
| T is Bugging You, You’ve
Come to the Right
Place.” Well, that couldn’t last, and it
didn't. Believe me, if I had taken
even one semester of Spider, I would
have tried to reason with her. She
already had my respect for her
construction technique. Besides, she
was doing her part to keep some
unwanted flying pests out
of my home. And, try as I
might, I couldn’t make out
any messages in her web.
Maybe I needed Wilbur
and the Zuckerman’s to
interpret for me?
Reluctantly, I served
Charlotte her eviction notice in the
form of a wrecking ball — or, in this
case, a wrecking newspaper.

I believe Charlotte emerged
from her base camp in the lamp base
later that day to survey the damage.
Undeterred, she did what any
stalwart homesteader would do. She
rebuilt. Again, I tried to avoid her
fine designs but ultimately ended up
in her hair salon. Again! And again!
Once more, I used the eviction paper.

And she rebuilt,
again. And she
was evicted, again.
Realize that she
also rebuilt each
time I visited her
hair salon. These
evictions were just
more thorough.
Though I avoided any harm to
Charlotte, herself, it was looking as
if a more permanent move of some
sort was on her horizon. But then,
this sensitive and intelligent gray
spider did something different. She
compromised.

O ne morning, I made my exit
to find that Charlotte had
moved. Not far! After all,
she did have location, location,
location — but just enough to keep
her out of my hair and me out of
hers. She was still connected to the
aluminum siding by the porch light.
But now. instead of running out into
my- path along the awning, she had
taken a hard shift to the left toward
my living room window, yet another
light source. In fact, this allowed her
to increase her “square webbage ,”
expanding her restaurant by closing
down the hair salon. This satisfied
the zoning commission. I’m even
considering giving her a plaque to
declare my appreciation.

Granted, having a large, gray
spider and her web decorating the
side of your door is not a welcoming
sight for most folks — especially city
dwellers. It doesn’t speak well of
your housekeeping, either. However,

I figure that humankind has taken
over many of the best parts of
nature, especially in the city where I
live, so it’s only fair that we
occasionally give some of it back.
Maybe I’ll hang a sign with that
plaque: “Charlotte’s Web Site:

Mobile Homes Made to Order” ^

© 2002 Mark Salentine

Mark is a theatrical director, actor, and
singer. With his talent, he may put this
true story to music someday. Charlotte is
quite fortunate to have such an open-
minded, accommodating and patient
client to frequent her hair salon and
restaurant.

Wisconsin Entomological Society Newsletter — June 2002

THE LONG JOURKEY

Article and Photography by Janice Stlejel

Page 7

\Xj hen t * ie ph° ne rang on the
VV sunny, warm morning of
August 31, 2000, it was
the beginning of a long, adventurous
journey into the world of one of the
beautiful members of the Lepi-
doptera insect order, the Pandorus
Sphinx Moth.

The voice at the other end of
the line was Therese Randall, my
good friend from
Greenbush, three hours to
the south of Bailey's
Harbor. In a very
animated voice she said, *7
have a caterpillar you’ve
got to see. Scott (her
husband] and I are
driving it to Bailey’s
Harbor NOW. Are you
going to be home this
morning?” After I got over
the shock that someone
would actually drive three
hours to deliver a
caterpillar, I said, “Sure,

Therese, we’ll be home. Are you
sure you want to drive that far with
a caterpillar ?” She said, “Oh yes,
this one is special. Wait * til you see
it.” Realizing she was actually
serious, I invited them for lunch.

The caterpillar was discovered
by Scott Randall when he was
clearing away some Grape vines on
the property of the Northern Moraine
Utility Commission in the Village of
Glenbeulah, where he is the
operations/manager. The caterpillar
just happened to drop to the ground
as he was pulling unwanted grape
vines. Grapes (Vltis spp.) are one of
the host plants for this moth
species, which along with its
distinct markings, made it easy to
identify.

Upon arriving at Hidden
Corners Sanctuary, north of Bailey's
Harbor, Therese immediately
brought out the most beautiful
caterpillar I had ever seen. It was a
brilliant reddish-brown, with five
huge, cream-colored, oval spots on
the 3 rd to 7 th abdominal segments.
The spots were outlined in black
with a black spot or spiracle in the

(Crawling or eating position)

Pandoras Sphinx Pupa

September 7, 2000

center. Spiracles are the
apparatus through which

caterpillars breathe. When

disturbed, alarmed or even at Pandorus Sphinx Caterpillar [Eumorpha pandorus)

rest, the caterpillar would draw 3l'“ooo Sltl0nl

its head and first two segments
Into the 3 rd segment (see photo
above). When it was crawling or
eating the first segments would
protrude. It had an eye-like

button at its rear.

Ordinarily a Sphinx
caterpillar has a horn
at the rear, but in this
species, the horn
drops off and becomes
an eyespot In its last instar
(molt). This meant the

caterpillar was just about
ready to pupate, although
it took a week to do it — on
Sept. 7.

The pupa
overwintered in our
refrigerator from Oct. 8,

2000 to April 15, 2001. I
had placed the pupa in a nest of
sphagnum moss and misted it every
three weeks to keep it from drying
out. On May 29, 2001 a gorgeous,
bright, olive-green moth, with dashes
of pink and a wingspan of 3 3 A in.
emerged from its pupa. Excitement
reigned in our household that day. It
was like having a baby all over again,
without all the work and responsi-
bilities. As you can see it obligingly
posed for the camera.

M

Pandoras Sphinx Moth

( Eumorpha pandorus )
May 29, 2001

ow, we were faced with a
problem and a decision to
make. The Pandorus has
never been recorded from Door
County. Perhaps this is because its
favorite host plants, which are
Grapes and Virginia Creeper
(Parthenocissus quinquefolta) , do
not grow as abundantly on the
peninsula as they do in Sheboygan
County. I believe the Pandorus is in
Door County and has yet to be
discovered and reported. The
decision was made to drive the adult
Pandorus back to its place of
origin — the wastewater treatment
plant at Glenbeulah. This was
accomplished on June 1, 2001.
Thus ended what might be the
longest journey ever of a Pandorus
Sphinx caterpillar.

I thank Therese and Scott
Randall for their willingness to drive
such a long distance and to take the
time to share their discovery of
something so simple as — a
caterpillar. What they also shared
was their enthusiasm, awareness,
knowledge, and that there still are
exhilarating discoveries to be made
in wild habitats, as well as our own
backyard providing, of course, we
allow some wild vegetation to
flourish besides a mowed lawn. ^

Note: The Genus Name, Eumorpha (you-MOR-
fa), is from the Greek meaning “nice shape or
form." Species Name, pandorus , is from the
Greek word, pandora, name of the first mortal
woman on whom all gods bestowed gifts.

© 2002 Janice Stlejel

Wisconsin ENtoiNoloqical Society

Janice Stiefel, Editor

2125 Grove Rd.

Bailey’s Harbor, WI 54202

Address Correction Requested

Wisconsin Entomological Society Newsletter — June 2002

Page 8

New FREE Book on
Geometridae Moths

David Wagner, Douglas
Ferguson, Timothy McCabe, and
Richard Reardon have produced a
wonderfully informative book for the
US Forest Service entitled
Geometroid Caterpillars of North-
eastern and Appalachian Forests.
This guide illustrates 1 87 larvae with
the associated adult in color. In-
cluded are many of the caterpillars
commonly referred to as inchworms,
loopers, and spanworms. Don’t be
confused by the word “geometroid”.
This book covers Geometridae, plus
Epiplemidae, which the authors
place as a sub-family of the
Uraniidae.

For a free copy of this
publication, you may contact Lisa
Cress by e-mail at lcress@fs.fed.us;
by telephone at 304-285-1563; or by
mail at USDA Forest Service, 180
Canfield Street, Morgantown, WV
26505. — Valerie A. Passoa

2002 Dues Notice!

A collection envelope is

enclosed with this news-
letter, for the convenience of
members who haven’t paid their
dues for 2002, No envelope is pro-
vided if you'&re paid up for 2002 or
beyond. Please check the address
label on this newsletter for your
current dues status. Send check to
our treasurer, Les Ferge, 7119
Hubbard Ave., Middleton, WI
53562. Also appearing after your
name will be your membership
category:

Individual $5.00 per year

Family $10.00 per year

Sustaining $15.00 per year

Patron $25.00 per year

Be sure to notify us of
any address changes
when you send in your check.

Wisconsin
Cr Entomological
Society Officers

President; Kerry Katovich

Dept, of Entomology
1610 Linden Dr.

Madison, WI 53706
katovich@entomology.wisc.edu

Vice President; Phil Pellitteri

Dept, of Entomology
1630 Linden Dr.

Madison, WI 53706
pellitte@entomology.wisc.edu

Secretary-Treasurer: Les Ferge

7119 Hubbard Ave.

Middleton, WI 53562-3231
ferge@chorus.net

Newsletter Editor: Janice Stiefel

2125 Grove Rd.

Bailey’s Harbor, WI 54202
(920) 839-9796
jstiefel@itol.com