This is an adult male Southern Flying Squirrel compared to 2 of the last specimens of Northern Flying Squirrel preserved from MA. The most recent preserved specimen was from Belchertown, Hampshire Co. on May 24, 1968. The species may still exist in MA, but if so, its range has contracted and numbers have significantly declined.
Eating a Western Fence Lizard.
several individuals found under a dead nestling in a mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) nest 1.5 m above ground
attracted to MV light at 900 m; 30+ moth species to be submitted as separate observations; please let me know if you agree with or can improve my identifications:
1: Erebidae?
2: Geometridae?
3: Erebidae?
4: Crambidae?
5: Paradaemonia samba
6: Crambidae
7: unknown (sphingid-like, but antennae thread-like)
8: Noctuidae?
9: Arctiinae, possibly Agylla sp.
10: Erebidae?
11: Eulepidotis caeruleilinea
12: Patalene aenetusaria
13: Protambulyx goeldii
14: Arctiinae
15: unknown
16: Hapigia sp. (possibly curvilinea or simplex)
17: Cresera ilus
18: Pero polygonaria
19: Ascalapha odorata
20: unknown
21: Noctuidae?
22: Coremagnatha orionalis
23: Palthis, possibly bizialis
24: Himerarctia docis
25: Xylophanes chiron
26: Noctuidae?
27: Rejectaria cocytalis
28: Podalia orsilochus
29: unknown
30: unknown
I have had many different red squirrels over the years. I have seen up to 3 at once. The white tailed one is pretty cool.
I admit, the tail is awfully gray AND it seems out of range, but I got the impression of it being significantly larger than S. carolinensis, and that red belly seems significant.
OK all you Sciurus people, let's hear it!