Moths of Southeastern Arizona:

Saturniidae ( Silkmoths )

Sphingicampa montana

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since 26 Jan 2001

Last updated: 3 October 2011

Moths of SE Arizona main page

Saturniidae [27 Species listed, 26 figured]

1. Ferguson (1971), Fascicle 20.2A of The Moths of American North of Mexico
2. Ferguson (1972), Fascicle 20.2B of The Moths of American North of Mexico
3. Tuskes, Tuttle and Collins (1996), The wild silk moths of North America. Cornell University Press. [VERY highly recommended!]
4. R. S. Peigler and M. Maldonado. 2005. Uses of cocoons of Eupackardia calleta and Rothschilidia cincta by Yaqui Indians in Arizona and Mexico. Nach. Entomol. Ver. Apollo 26: 111-119. pdf file
5. A few of the posted species photos are courtesy of Paul Opler, and are from the excellent Moths of North America page.

Species list:

Subfamily Citheroniinae (Royal Moths)

1. Western Imperial (Eacles oslari) [ MONA 7705 ]
   chocolate form
   Early stages
   1. last instar: side view --- top view --- Singer Photo
   Foodplants:
   1. Mexican blue Oak ( Quercus oblongifolia: FAGACEAE)
   2. Emory Oak ( Quercus emori: FAGACEAE)
   3. Manzanita (Arctostaphylos: ERICACEAE)
2. Splendid royal moth (Citheronia splendens sinaloensis) [ MONA 7707a ]
   Early stages
   1. penultimate instar
   2. last instar
   3. pupae
   Foodplants:
   1. Gossypium thuerberi (MALVACEAE)
   2. Manzanita (Arctostaphylos: ERICACEAE)
   3. Rhus (Rhus: ANACARDIACEAE)
3. Hubbard's small silkmoth (Sphingicampa hubbardi) [ MONA 7711 ]
   Early stages
   1. Penultimate instar: Singer photo
   2. last instar side view -- top/side view --- top view .
   3. a very nice photo by Mike Plagens
   Foodplants:
   1. Mesquite
   2. foothills paloverde (Cercidium micrphyllum) [ Source: Doug Moore, per. comm)
4. Montana small silkmoth (Sphingicampa montana)
   Early stages
   1. last instar Conlan photo (large size)
   Foodplants:
   1. Velvet-pod Mimosa ( Mimosa dysocarpa: FABACEAE)
5. Raspa small silkmoth (Sphingicampa raspa)
   Early stages
   1. larvae: Conlan photo
   Foodplants
   1. Prairie acacia (Acacia angustissima)
6. Oslar's oakworm moth (Anisota oslari) [ MONA 7722 ]
   Early stages
   1. penultimate instar --- Singer photo (just molted)
   2. last instar : side --- top
   Foodplants:
   1. Mexican blue Oak ( Quercus oblongifolia: FAGACEAE)
7. Isara small silkmoth (Adeloneivaia isara) [Opler photo]
   Early stages
   1. larvae: Conlan photo
   Foodplants
   1. Lysiloma

Subfamily Hemileucinae (Buck and Io Moths)

Tribe Hemileucini

1. Pandora pinemoth (Coloradia pandora) [ MONA 7724 ]
   Foodplants
   1. Pines (Pinus)
2. Doris' pinemoth (Coloradia doris) [ MONA 7725 ]
   Similar species: Both other Coloradia. Of the three species, doris is the earliest flier, on the wing from April-May.
   Foodplants
   1. Pines (Pinus)
3. Lusk's pinemoth (Coloradia luski) [ MONA 7726 ]
   dark female form
   Foodplants
   1. Pines (Pinus)
4. Tricolor buckmoth (Hemileuca tricolor) [ MONA 7727 ]
   Early stages:
   1. Last Instar Jeff Babson photo
   Foodplants:
   1. Littleleaf paloverde (Cercidium microphyllum)
   2. mesquite (Prosopis juliflora)
   3. catclaw acacia (Acacia greggii)
5. Hualapai buckmoth (Hemileuca hualapai) [ MONA 7728 ]
   Early stages:
   1. Last Instar Chris Conlan photo --- Doug Moore photo 1 --- Doug Moore photo 2
   Foodplants:
   1. Grasses
6. Grote's buckmoth (Hemileuca grotei) [Opler photo] [ MONA 7733 ]
   Foodplants:
   1. Oaks ( Quercus : FAGACEAE)
7. Stone's buckmoth (Hemileuca stonei)
   Early stages:
   1. last instar --- Conlan photo
   Foodplants:
   1. Mexican blue Oak ( Quercus oblongifolia : FAGACEAE)
8. Juno buckmoth (Hemileuca juno) [ MONA 7735 ]
   Early stages:
   1. Last instar: top -- side
   Foodplants :
   1. Mesquite
9. Electra buckmoth (Hemileuca electra) [ MONA 7736 ]
   Early stages:
   1. Last instar: Conlan photo
   Foodplants
   1. Eriogonum fasciculatum
10. Randa's eyed silkmoth (Automeris randa) [ MONA 7745 ]
    Early stages:
    1. Last instar : Stone Photo
    Foodplants:
    1. Oaks ( Quercus: FAGACEAE)
    2. Spiny hackberry (Celtis pallida)
11. Iris eyed silkmoth (Automeris iris hesselorum) [ MONA 7747a ]
    Early stages:
    1. Last instar: view 1 --- view 2 --- Chris Conlan photo --- Doug Moore photo
    Foodplants:
    1. Velvet-pod Mimosa ( Mimosa dysocarpa: FABACEAE)
    2. Tephrosia: FABACEAE
    3. Oaks
12. Cecrops eyed silkmoth (Automeris cecrops panima) [ MONA 7748a ]
    additonal color variants
    Early stages:
    1. Last instar view 1 -- view 2 --- Singer Photo
    Foodplants:
    1. Emory Oak ( Quercus emori: FAGACEAE)
    2. Mexican blue Oak ( Quercus oblongifolia: FAGACEAE)
    3. Manzanita (Arctostaphylos: ERICACEAE)
    4. Velvet-pod Mimosa ( Mimosa dysocarpa: FABACEAE)
    5. locust ( Reobinia neomexicana: FABACEAE)
13. Patagonia eyed silkmoth (Automeris patagoniensis)
    Foodplants:
    1. Grasses
14. Hylesia coinopus [ Figured in Ferguson, MONA, Fascicle 20.2b, Plate13, fig 9.] [ MONA 7750 ]

Subfamily Saturniinae (Silkmoths)

Tribe Saturniini

1. Mexican agapema (Agapema anona) [ MONA 7754a ]
   Early stages:
   1. larvae
   2. larvae and egg cluster
   Foodplants
   1. Condalia (RHAMNACEAE)
2. Rocky Mountain agapema (Agapema homogena) [ MONA 7756 ]
   Early stages:
   1. larvae: Singer Photo
   2. cocoon
   Foodplants
   1. Rhamnus
3. Oculea silkmoth (Antheraea oculea) [ MONA 7757b ]
   Early stages:
   1. 3rd instar
   2. last instar Conlan photo
   Foodplants:
   1. Oaks ( Quercus : FAGACEAE)

Tribe Attacini

1. Cincta silkmoth (Rothschildia cincta) [ MONA 7760 ]
   Early stages:
   1. last instar : side view --- top view --- Conlan photo
   Foodplants:
   1. hopbush (Dodonaea viscosa: Sapindaceae) -- J. Tuttle (pers comm.)
   Natural History:
   1. The cocoons of both cincta and calleta are widely used as ornamental jewelry by Native Americans in Arizona and Mexico. A nice review is given by R. S. Peigler and M. Maldonado. (2005) Uses of cocoons of Eupackardia calleta and Rothschilidia cincta by Yaqui Indians in Arizona and Mexico. Nach. Entomol. Ver. Apollo 26: 111-119. pdf file
2. Calleta silkmoth (Eupackardia calleta) [ MONA 7763 ]
   Early stages:
   1. 3rd instar
   2. last instar (Conlan photo)
   3. cocoon
   Foodplants:
   1. Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendes)
   2. Little leaf ash! (Fraxinus gooddingii: OLEACEAE, Jim Tuttle Aug 2000)
3. Glover's silkmoth (Hyalophora columbia gloveri) [ MONA 7769 ]
   Early stages:
   1. last instar --- Chris Conlan photo --- Doug Moore photo
   2. Coccon (+ penultimate larvae)
   Foodplants:
   1. Sandbar Willow ( Salix exigua: SALICACEAE)
   2. Mountain-mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides : ROSACEAE)
   3. Manzanita (Arctostaphylos: ERICACEAE)