[NatureNS] Yellow-collared Scape Moth invasion

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From: Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2006 17:14:04 -0300
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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Hi Fritz,

On 8-Aug-06, at 3:27 PM, Fritz McEvoy wrote:

> Hi all,
>   Over the last week the valley has been deluged with Yellow- 
> collared Scape Moth-Hodges 8267(Cisseps Fulvicollis). They cover  
> every flower especially Ragweed and Goldenrod,often dozens on a  
> single flower head. Although most are black and orange I have  
> observed some that  have yellow collars and a few that look  
> beige.They seem to be an interesting species,a wasp mimic and  
> nectar feeder, the proboscis is almost 1/2 the moths length. Is  
> this a local phenomenon or are they widespread in the province? All  
> the best.

Are you certain that you are seeing Cisseps fulvicollis (Hubner)  
(Yellow-collared Scape Moth) rather than Ctenucha virginica Esper  
(Virginia Ctenucha)? Both species are present in Nova Scotia,  
however, the Virginia Ctenucha is normally the common species.  
Ferguson (1955) doesn't mention C. fulvicollis as occurring on Cape  
Breton, whereas C. virginica is definitely common there. The hindwing  
of the former species is translucent as in:

http://www.boldsystems.org/pics/LGSMB/DNA-ATBI-1157.jpg

Whereas the hindwing of the latter species is not as in:

http://www.cedarcreek.umn.edu/insects/newslides/027073074001bp.jpg

In any event, the Virginia Ctenucha can, indeed, be exceedingly  
common. Ferguson (1955) mentions that they can come in enormous  
numbers to light. The larvae feed on grasses, irises, & sedges.

Cheers!

Chris


>                              Fritz McEvoy
>                               Sunrise Valley CB (near Dingwall)
>

_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. 
_.
Christopher Majka - Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada  B3H 3A6
(902) 424-6435   Email <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. 
_.


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<HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi Fritz,<DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On =
8-Aug-06, at 3:27 PM, Fritz McEvoy wrote:</DIV><BR =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite"><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">Hi all,</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>Over the last week the valley =
has been deluged with Yellow-collared Scape Moth-Hodges 8267(Cisseps =
Fulvicollis). They cover every flower especially Ragweed and =
Goldenrod,often dozens on a single flower head. Although most are black =
and orange I have observed some that<SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>have yellow collars and a few =
that look beige.They seem to be an interesting species,a wasp mimic and =
nectar feeder, the proboscis is almost 1/2 the moths length. Is this a =
local phenomenon or are they widespread in the province? All the =
best.</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span">Are you certain that you are =
seeing=A0<I>Cisseps fulvicollis</I> (Hubner) (Yellow-collared Scape =
Moth) rather than <I>Ctenucha virginica</I> Esper (Virginia Ctenucha)? =
Both species are present in Nova Scotia, however, the Virginia Ctenucha =
is normally the common species. Ferguson (1955) doesn't mention<I> C. =
fulvicollis</I> as=A0occurring on Cape Breton, whereas <I>C. virginica =
</I>is definitely common there. The hindwing of the former species is =
translucent as in:</SPAN></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><A =
href=3D"http://www.boldsystems.org/pics/LGSMB/DNA-ATBI-1157.jpg">http://ww=
w.boldsystems.org/pics/LGSMB/DNA-ATBI-1157.jpg</A></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Whereas the hindwing of the =
latter species is not as in:</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><A =
href=3D"http://www.cedarcreek.umn.edu/insects/newslides/027073074001bp.jpg=
">http://www.cedarcreek.umn.edu/insects/newslides/027073074001bp.jpg</A></=
DIV><DIV><BR class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>In any event, =
the=A0Virginia Ctenucha can, indeed, be exceedingly common. Ferguson =
(1955) mentions that they can come in enormous numbers to light. The =
larvae feed on grasses, irises, &amp; sedges.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Cheers!</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Chris</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><BR><BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite"><DIV=
 style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0=A0 =A0 =A0 =
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 </SPAN>Fritz =
McEvoy</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 </SPAN>Sunrise Valley CB (near Dingwall)</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV> =
</BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><DIV> <P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px =
0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Times">_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._=
._._._.</FONT></P> <P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT =
face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Times">Christopher Majka =
- Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History</FONT></P> <P style=3D"margin: =
0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Times">1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada<SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>B3H 3A6</FONT></P> <P =
style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Times">(902) 424-6435 <SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>Email &lt;<A =
href=3D"mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca">c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca</A>&gt;</F=
ONT></P> <P