Comments on: Titan Sphinx http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2008/09/19/titan-sphinx/ Are we experts yet? Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:43:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: kkroeker http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2008/09/19/titan-sphinx/comment-page-1/#comment-14 kkroeker Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:47:31 +0000 http://www.whatsthatbug.com/?p=11244#comment-14 Sorry about that Gary – not trying to steal your thunder, just trying to turn this into a proper storm. I saw mine on August 3 at the northeast corner of Whitemouth Lake. That puts it just 88 km (54 miles) northeast of your siting! When did you see yours? I think it was really an incredible coincidence that I saw it at all. I was only camping in the area for one night, trying to photograph different butterflies in this ecologically unique part of Manitoba. It was quite late in the day and the sky was heavily overcast, so I had some difficulty photographing in the dim light. I was hoping to get a better chance the next day but I never saw it again. You just have to be in the right place at the right time. I really wonder if these things are as rare as the records would indicate. Was this just a very unusual year, or are there just not enough people looking and paying attention – I suspect both. Congratulations to you for a wonderful spot and the great photos, and to your students for figuring it out! KK Sorry about that Gary – not trying to steal your thunder, just trying to turn this into a proper storm. I saw mine on August 3 at the northeast corner of Whitemouth Lake. That puts it just 88 km (54 miles) northeast of your siting! When did you see yours? I think it was really an incredible coincidence that I saw it at all. I was only camping in the area for one night, trying to photograph different butterflies in this ecologically unique part of Manitoba. It was quite late in the day and the sky was heavily overcast, so I had some difficulty photographing in the dim light. I was hoping to get a better chance the next day but I never saw it again. You just have to be in the right place at the right time. I really wonder if these things are as rare as the records would indicate. Was this just a very unusual year, or are there just not enough people looking and paying attention – I suspect both. Congratulations to you for a wonderful spot and the great photos, and to your students for figuring it out!

KK

]]> By: dog44_52 http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2008/09/19/titan-sphinx/comment-page-1/#comment-12 dog44_52 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:39:43 +0000 http://www.whatsthatbug.com/?p=11244#comment-12 Karl, your stealing my thunder. I was sure this would be the northern most sighting of one of these little guys. Where about was yours seen? This one was photographed just south of Lake Bronson. The photographer had seen it many times and had a camera set up. I guess he would run out and try to catch some photos whenever he saw it, but didn't have any luck until recently. GT Karl, your stealing my thunder. I was sure this would be the northern most sighting of one of these little guys. Where about was yours seen? This one was photographed just south of Lake Bronson. The photographer had seen it many times and had a camera set up. I guess he would run out and try to catch some photos whenever he saw it, but didn’t have any luck until recently.

GT

]]> By: kkroeker http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2008/09/19/titan-sphinx/comment-page-1/#comment-9 kkroeker Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:15:54 +0000 http://www.whatsthatbug.com/?p=11244#comment-9 Fantastic! As you probably already know, the Titan Sphinx is an extremely rare visitor to Minnesota, previously reported only from the extreme southwest corner of the state. It is considered a tropical species with a normal range extending from northern Argentina to the US Gulf states. Beyond that there are scattered reports of strays in many of the eastern states and southern portions of eastern Canada. I became interested in this species when I was fortunate enough to see one in the extreme southeast corner of Manitoba this past August. It turns out it has been reported from Manitoba only once before, and that was sometime pre-1925. I suppose that a group of individuals were swept northward into our area this summer by a strong south wind, but the rarity of the species and proximity of our sitings makes me wonder if it was perhaps the same individual. That would be an incredible coincidence and highly unlikely, but it’s an interesting thought. Thanks so much for the posting. Karl Winnipeg, Manitoba Fantastic! As you probably already know, the Titan Sphinx is an extremely rare visitor to Minnesota, previously reported only from the extreme southwest corner of the state. It is considered a tropical species with a normal range extending from northern Argentina to the US Gulf states. Beyond that there are scattered reports of strays in many of the eastern states and southern portions of eastern Canada. I became interested in this species when I was fortunate enough to see one in the extreme southeast corner of Manitoba this past August. It turns out it has been reported from Manitoba only once before, and that was sometime pre-1925. I suppose that a group of individuals were swept northward into our area this summer by a strong south wind, but the rarity of the species and proximity of our sitings makes me wonder if it was perhaps the same individual. That would be an incredible coincidence and highly unlikely, but it’s an interesting thought. Thanks so much for the posting.

Karl
Winnipeg, Manitoba

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