Happy New Year and a good moth rearing year to you all! And yes this blog will continue for yet another year with hopefully some very nice species. Not too many though. You may have noticed last year that my posts have become slightly less frequent. It will be the same in 2020. Not that I'm growing tired of rearing. It's just very time consuming and I would like to have a life too. So ... less species. Besides, after a while it becomes harder and harder to find stock that has not yet been on these pages. Plenty of moths in the world, but they simply do not make it to my house. There are so many species I still want to rear. I can't list them all, so here's my shortlist for this year:
1. Anthelidae
There they are again, for ever on the number one spot: the Australian Lappets (Anthelidae). Wouldn't it be great to rear one species out of the almost hundred? Seriously, just one ... please ...
2. Apatelodes torrefacta and pudefacta
Some work for the American readers: as soon as the season starts go out there and catch those females, sell them or trade them, but don't be shy to contact me.
3. Artace cribraria
And when you're out there with your lights set up, don't forget to look for those lovely Artace. Any species will do, not just the north american.
4. Actias truncatipennis
The Mexican Luna moth keeps on eluding me for years now. It's not the most common species, but not this rare either. So, it would be great to see them on this blog this year.
5. Tolype species
All but Tolype velleda are welcome.
6. Maltagorea auricolor
You probably know this one better by it's old name Tagoropsis leporina. The moths are depicted a few years ago, but I still need pictures of the caterpillars. Matt can you import some pupae please ...
7. Micragonini
When people hear emperor moth, they always think of the large and colorful members of the family and yes those are nice. However, the Micragonini tribe has a lot to offer as well. Less large, less colorful, but usually with beautiful hairy caterpillars. I wouldn't mind at all trying to rear some new ones out of this tribe even though they are often more challenging then the average emperor moth.
8. Brahmaea hearseyi
It has been a while since I last reared a Brahmaea, so why not hearseyi, one of the larger species in the genus.
9. Citheronia phoronea
I had them last year and managed to get them killed. What can I say ... winter rearing ... it comes with a whole set of extra difficulties and chances of success are often not good during the coldest time of the year.
10. Copaxa species
Last year was the first year since I started this blog that I did not had a Copaxa species. It just felt wrong. So hopefully more luck this year in obtaining new species.