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VES NEWS the Newsletter of the Vermont Entomological Society VES NEWS The Newsletter of the Vermont Entomological Society Number 110 Winter 2021 www.VermontInsects.org VES NEWS Number 110 Winter — 2021 The Newsletter of the CONTENTS Vermont Entomological Society VES Officers Michael Sabourin President President’s Message pg. 3 Warren Kiel Vice President Deb Kiel Treasurer Comstock Cabinet Finds a New Home pg. 4 Laurie DiCesare Compiler / Editor Bryan Pfeiffer Webmaster Treasurer’s Report pg. 5 Emeritus Members New Moths for VT pg. 6 Joyce Bell Ross Bell John Grehan New Horse Flies in VT pg. 7 Gordon Nielsen Michael Sabourin Asian Giant Hornets pg. 9 Mark Waskow James Hedbor Scott Griggs Speedy Ways to Geotag Photos pg. 12 Rachel Griggs UVM Bug Club pg. 14 The Vermont Entomological Society (VES) is Programs of Interest pg. 14 devoted to the study, conservation, and appreciation of invertebrates. Founded in 1993, VES sponsors selected research, workshops VT Lady Beetle Atlas pg. 15 and field trips for the public, including children. Our quarterly newsletter features developments in entomology, accounts of insect events and field trips, as well as general contributions from members or other entomologists. VES is open to anyone interested in arthropods. Our members range from casual insect watchers to amateur and professional entomologists. We welcome members of all ages, abilities and interests. You can join VES by sending dues of $15 per Newsletter Schedule year to: Deb Kiel Spring: Deadline April 7 - Publication May 1 147 Allen Irish Road Summer: Deadline July 7 - Publication August 1 Underhill, VT 05489 Fall: Deadline October 7 - Publication November 1 Winter: Deadline January 7 - Publication February 1 Front Cover Photo: European Hornet (Vespa Membership crabro), a non-native VT hornet (left) and Asian Giant Hornets (right) Check Your Mailing Label Photo by: Hanna Royals, Museum Collections: Hymenoptera, USDA APHIS PPQ, The upper right corner of your mailing label will inform you of the Bugwood.org month and year your VES membership expires. Back Cover Photo: Scalloped Sack-Bearer (Lacosoma chiridota) Photo by: JoAnne Russo Dues are $15 and can be sent to our Treasurer: Vermont Entomological Society c/o Deb Kiel For more information on the 147 Allen Irish Road Vermont Entomological Society, visit Underhill, VT 05489 www.VermontInsects.org Page 2 VES News - Winter 2021 President’s Message This is a note to welcome everyone to the new year. We start the new year still in the throes of an international pandemic; fortunately, vaccines have started to be made available. I want to acknowledge that the Covid-19 pandemic has likely affected some aspect of all our lives; for some in a very profound way. Insect wise the pandemic multiplied my usual activities as I found myself doing a greater amount of identifications and dissections, etc. I also was able to make the occasional field foray and run a light on an almost nightly basis. I ended 2020 with a personal record of 1,258 lepidoptera dissections for the year. Annual meeting: We haven’t made up our mind yet as to what we should do for an annual meeting. Not likely that we will be meeting in person this Spring. We will either meet in person or via internet this Fall. Volunteer opportunities: VES is looking for individuals to relieve Bryan Pfeiffer in managing the VES website and to help Laurie DiCesare in getting the newsletter into Publisher format. We are also looking for individuals to volunteer to lead field trips and conduct seminars. VES Tax deductible: A reminder that donations to the Vermont Entomological Society are tax deductible. Donations to the society support our activities as well as keep the society viable. VES Facebook Group: VES has a Facebook group. I encourage members to check it out as well as use it to post insect-related articles and activities that may be taking place. Congratulations to JoAnne Russo: JoAnne received Vermont Center for Ecostudies’s (VCE) Julie Nicholson Community Science Award. This lifetime achievement award is presented annually to an individual who exemplifies Ms. Nicholson’s dedication to the important role that community science plays in wildlife conservation. Joanne Russo’s contributions to better understanding the conservation status of Vermont’s wildlife (especially moths) have been extraordinary" https://vtecostudies.org/blog/joanne-russo-receives- 2020-julie-nicholson-community-scientist-award/ We wish everyone the best of health and happiness and hope to see you in the field sometime soon! Michael Sabourin VES President VES News - Winter 2021 Page 3 Member News Comstock Cabinet Finds A New Home by Michael Sabourin This past October, we received an received over innocuous e-mail from Jeff Freeman stating “Some 100 likes, 30 60 years ago I acquired this 46-drawer, comments, homemade case. I have finished emptying it and it and several might help someone with Lepidoptera again, or shares from other pinned insects. How might we make this individuals all known?” In a subsequent e-mail he gave the over the following instructions: “Please just take it away. world. I also That’s what they told me years ago.” received at He described the case as overall 62 inches least 12 direct tall, 15 inches from front to back, and 40 inches FB messenger wide. Each drawer is about 12 1/2 by 16 1/2 inquiries. inches wide and 2 3/16 inches deep. Each drawer Here has dovetail corners; the top of each drawer with are some a pane of 12 x 16-inch glass that fits into a recess. interesting My impression was that the cabinet and drawers comments: were United States National Museum (USNM) “Such an style. important At the time Jeff acquired the case, it was piece of bug Comstock Cabinet being discarded by Rutgers University, Dept. of history. I Photo: Jeff Freeman Entomology. The case had formerly held a hope it finds Comstock Collection of Lepidoptera. The a good home with an entomologist that uses it!” - Comstock Collection of Lepidoptera which had Eva Doane been at Rutgers at some point was transferred to “I'd love to have them but I live in Brazil! I've the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) studied Comstock's collection at the amnh, as my in New York City. PhD thesis was a follow up to his unfinished I posted the following notice on several studies with the Anaea. Leafwing butterflies germane entomological Facebook (FB) groups: intrigues me still, and Comstock's studies “Free insect cabinet! Some 60 years ago Jeff continues to be the foundation of most of my Freeman acquired this 46- drawer, homemade research. Nice!” - Fernando Dias case. He has finished emptying it and it might help “I will drive from Arizona to get it if it's still someone with Lepidoptera again, or other pinned available.” - Albert Thurman insects. It has some historical as well as functional I monitored the FB responses for locations value formerly hosting the Comstock Collection at that were reasonably close to Jeff. One of the Rutgers University. The Comstock Case overall is earliest responders was Adam Kohl of Wendell, 62 inches tall, …. The Comstock Collection went to Massachusetts. He responded with: “I’m a Rutgers and later to the American Museum of lepidopterist studying nocturnal moth pollination, Natural History in New York City. The Comstock and I’m in the market for somewhere to start Case is now free for the taking.” storing specimens, this would be amazing!” Most I was surprised by the over-all interest the importantly, he was willing to make the move Comstock Cabinet generated. The postings happen. Page 4 VES News - Winter 2021 Comstock Cabinet Finds A New Home (continued) The Comstock Case and he was formerly contained an considered a extensive collection of mentor by New Jersey (NJ) butterflies Vladimir that had been made by Nabokov; an William Phillips Comstock illustrious (https:// novelists and entomology.rutgers.edu/ lepidopterists. museum/history.html). (https:// The collection was Adam Kohl (left) and Jeff Freeman (right) Photo: Sam Potrykus donated to Rutgers circa 1953. The cabinet was www.amnh.org/shelf-life/nabakov-butterflies- Jeff Freeman (left) and likely discarded when the 360) Adam Kohl (right) Photo: Sam Potrykus college decided to Jeff, a dipterist, used the Comstock Cabinet purchase new large steel in support of his masters work. He originally specimen cabinets in the summer of 1958. moved the cabinet in his Ford station wagon Comstock had authored “The Butterflies of which accommodated the 40-inch width of the New Jersey: A List of the Lepidoptera Suborder cabinet. Adam hired a moving guy in early Rhopalocera Occurring in the State of New Jersey; November and the cabinet found a new home. Giving Time of Flight, Food Plants, Records of Jeff wrote to me that: “Adam appears to be Capture with Locality and Date” (Journal of the working with Prof. Robert Gegear at UMass New York Entomological Society Vol. 48, No. 1 Dartmouth on pollination ecology. Lots of moths (Mar., 1940), pp. 47-84.) and other pollinators.” Jeff Freeman noted that the Comstock For more information on Adam see: Cabinet had abbreviations of Comstock’s NJ https://adamkohl.info/ collecting localities. Comstock, a noted A final word from Adam: “The case is with me now, it's lovely!” References: Emington, C. L. 1959. Obituary: lepidopterist, passed away in 1956. He had William Phillips Comstock (1880-1956) Journal of the authored 32 published works (Remington, 1956), Lepidopterists' Society, Volume 13, p. 30. VES Financial Statement 2020 Postage to Mail Assets at start $2,860.27 Newsletters to Income: Members $ 14.00 Membership Dues $ 635.00 Web Hosting $144.00 Donations $ 34.00 Paper Bank Book Royalties $128.00 Statements $ 36.00 Ross Bell Memorial $ 339.08 Annual Report Book Sales from Non Profit $ 20.00 Gordon Nielson Stipend for Teaching $ 75.00 Donated Estate Membership Refund $ 15.00 Collection $ 205.00 Total Income: $1,341.08 Total Expenses: $1,455.02 Expenses: Bank Balance Newsletter costs: $1151.02 End of Year $2,746.33 VES News - Winter 2021 Page 5 New Moths for Vermont By JoAnne Russo 2020 has been a remarkable year.
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