=========================================================================================== Vol. 18, No. 3 August, 2014 =========================================================================================== Nothing wildly exciting has come in yet but the summer is not over. A couple of notes from my backyard: The Japanese Beetle (Popillia japonica) population is down and as many as half the beetles have eggs of the parasitic fly Istocheta aldrichi on their backs. I pick beetles off my roses and raspberries leaving the parasitized beetles to produce more flies. What are others seeing for Japanese beetle populations? Secondly I have NO Lily Leaf Beetles (Lilioceris lilii) on my oriental lilies this year or last. Are others seeing this decline? I know my hand picking could not have decimated the population to extinction! Enjoy the rest of the summer; slow down and watch the insects. Important Proposed Change in Bylaws: Last year at the Annual Meeting, a proposal was floated to add a "Life Member" category for membership, with a total cost of $200 for membership for the entirety of the natural life of the subscribing member. This would necessitate a change in the M.E.S. Bylaws, and will be one of the important items on the agenda for the Annual Meeting in September (see p. 2). One of the interesting parts of my job is seeing various insects that catch people's attention and leads them to seek an answer as to what it is they have found and what it is doing there. The big is certainly on that list. Eastern Dobsonflies (Corydalus cornutus) are quite impressive at 120 mm or so in length, although a person recently thought she had the Giant Asian Dobsonfly that comes in at 210 mm. The males have long pincers that can look really scary but they are relatively soft and do little damage to human hands. Beware the female and the larvae (called hellgrammites and prized by fishermen as bait) as they both have strong jaws that can draw blood. Then there are woodborers, including the Brown Prionid (Orthosoma brunneum) that someone thought was the invasive Brown Spruce Longhorned Beetle (Tetropium fuscum). The prionid is 48 mm long as opposed to the BSLB Young entomologists-in-training were fascinated by moths and at 10 mm. Pretty easy to separate the two. So far we have not other light-trap specimens at last year's Bug Maine-ia at the found T. fuscum in Maine. Maine State Museum. See story, p. 6 People are sensitized to invasives and insects in firewood. So calls and samples come in about Eastern Ash Bark Beetles (Hylesinus aculeatus) that emerge from their Inside: firewood either in the pile outside or in their house. They are Agenda for Annual Meeting (p. 2) tiny – 4mm or so - but they show en masse. I tell them to Swans Island Butterflies (p. 2) keep the wood outside until you are ready to burn it or Reflections on an Ant Picnic (p. 2) vacuum up the beetles when they head for the windows if you Crickets expanding into southern Maine (p. 4) insist on storing your wood inside. But who listens to an Beetle Blitz update (p. 5) entomologist? Rare Hummingbird Moth in southern Maine (p. 5) Then there are the calls about frass on the deck. It is hard Bug Maine-ia Comes Again! (p. 6) for me to know what is producing bug poop when all they can Ordway Grove collecting report (p. 6) tell me is that it is falling out of the tree. Although this year Book Review: Bugs Britannica (p. 7) there is a credible population of Saddled Prominents Book Review: Bumble Bees of North America (p. 7) (Heterocampa guttivitta) in western Maine so I can make an Annual Meeting Invitation (p. 8) educated guess when I get calls from that area of the State. Coming M. E. S. Events (p. 8) The Maine Entomologist v. 18, no. 3, p. 1 August, 2014 Inornate Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia) Tentative Agenda for M.E.S. Annual Meeting on 13 September, in Clinton, Maine The most significant find was the Bronze Copper which is listed as a species of Special Concern by the state of Maine. Audit books A single Bronze Copper was photographed by Lisa Davis in Treasurer's Report the meadow near the pond across from the Curtis Cemetery Minutes of 2013 annual meeting (Fig. 1). This species was also recorded in the same area Election of 2015 M.E.S. officers during a butterfly survey of Swan island in 2013 (Gobeil and President Gobeil 2014). A newly created checklist of butterflies found Vice President on Swan Island is now available for use by visitors to the Treasurer island. The checklist also includes photos of some of the 2 Members-at-Large more common butterflies found on the island which should By-Laws – proposed change to include Lifetime make identification easier. I wish to thank Lisa Davis for membership granting me permission to use her photo of the Bronze Dues – continue at $10/year with $200 for Lifetime Copper taken during the field trip. members Newsletter - updates Blog for ad hoc collecting update – Peter Darling M.E.S. outreach efforts? Collaborate with Edith Patch Society 2015 Events January Winter Workshop Date: January 10 Topic, Location, Facilitator? March 28 – Maple Syrup Insect Collecting Day in Whitefield; Charlene Donahue April – field day? May – field day? June – field day? July - Blitz - probably Hemiptera, no firm date yet August – field day? September 9 - Bug Maine-ia September 12 – Annual Meeting * * * * * Results of Butterfly Field Trip to Swan Island (Perkins TWP) on June 21, 2014 By Robert E. Gobeil Fig. 1. Bronze Copper (Lycaena hyllus), Perkins TWP (Swan On June 21, 2014, as part of the Swan Island Summer Island), ME, June 21, 2014 (Photo by Lisa Davis) Nature Program, I led a butterfly field trip on Swan Island References: (Perkins Township, Sagadahoc County). Swan Island is located within the Kennebec River at the head of Gobeil, R. E. and R. M. F. Gobeil 2014. A survey of butterflies Merrymeeting Bay near Richmond, Maine. The island is found on Swan Island (Steve Powell Wildlife Management approximately four miles long and varies in width between a Area), Perkins Township, Sagadahoc County, Maine. Limenitis, half-mile and three-quarters of a mile with a total of about MBS Newsletter VII:7-14. (Online) 1,755 acres including approximately 230 acres of fields and https://2d042df5ce2f94779d5a6c1b6c47d612202b3787.googledr ive.com/host/0B985dSJVRA1mWm43NXVQWEhmVGM/Lime some tidal flats (Martin 2010). Swan Island and Little Swan nitis%20VII%20June%202014.pdf [Accessed 3 July 2014]. Island, also known as the Steve Powell Wildlife Management Martin, R. D. 2010. A Report to the Joint Standing Committee on Area, are managed by the Maine Department of Inland Inland Fisheries & Wildlife. L.D. 398 - Resolve, To Develop a Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW). Management Plan for the Nonwildlife Components of Swan Under sunny conditions (72°F), with minor wind, a total Island and Little Swan Island in Perkins Township, Sagadahoc of 16 different species were observed during the two hour County. field trip as listed below: * * * * * Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades) Reflections on an Ant Picnic Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles) by Dana Michaud Long Dash Skipper (Polites mystic) Hobomok Skipper (Poanes hobomok) As May 17th rolled around and the 9:00 a.m. M.E.S. Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio canadensis) field trip to Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary in Lewiston was Cabbage White (Pieris rapae) cancelled due to rain, the "Ant Picnic" scheduled from noon American Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) to 2:00 p.m. at the Atrium Art Gallery at the University of Bronze Copper (Lycaena hyllus) Southern Maine (Lewiston campus) had the doors opened Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon) early (at 11:00 a.m.) to accommodate the change in plans and Eastern Tailed Blue (Cupido comyntas) early arrivers. Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus) Once inside, having never been to "The Ant Girls" Silver-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) display, the cafeteria alcove was a perfect drop-off locale for Harris’s Checkerspot (Chlosyne harrisii) my backpack before I sneaked down the hall to see the Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) exhibit. The cafeteria also had its two walls covered with White Admiral (Limenitis arthemis) (continued on next page) The Maine Entomologist v. 18, no. 3, p. 2 August, 2014 Ant Picnic (cont.) With time still left to "go A'Buggin'," Dave Bourque, interesting historical photos of local groups, buildings, and Peter Darling and I headed to Thorncrag to brave the outdoors. Sue Hayward offered to guide us there. individuals of French heritage. Once there, we found the free brochures at the main As people slowly gathered in the cafeteria to eat lunch and converse, I returned from my quick peak down the entrance gateboard, which explained all the various trails (in color). Peter, having been here bird-watching, led the way as corridor at the Ant Farm exhibit. As noon neared and the we opted for the yellow trail, passing various old foundations, guest speakers had all arrived, the crowd moved from the cafeteria to the lecture hall. M.E.S. President Charlene fireplaces and memorials, all the while sweeping partly wet vegetation. Donahue made some introductory remarks about the Ant On to the Green Trail to Whale Rock and backtracking Farm exhibit, which was to then be followed by Aaron Ellison's presentation on ants. through meadows, the collecting was sparse and my knowledge of birds via songs is limited (compared to Peter's). The eager crowd moved down the hall to tour the Ant I did notice a winter wren hobbling amongst the ground Farm exhibit and heard from three of the four "Ant Girls." The main speaker, Colleen Kinsella, explained how the four vegetation in a shaded area but said nothing, as David and Peter were quite a ways ahead of me.