Hyalophora cecropia
Cecropia moth | |
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Mounted adult female | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Saturniidae |
Genus: | Hyalophora |
Species: | H. cecropia
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Binomial name | |
Hyalophora cecropia | |
Synonyms | |
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Hyalophora cecropia, the cecropia moth, is North America's largest native
Life cycle
Like other members of the giant silk moth family, the adult cecropia moth lacks functional mouth parts and a digestive system. Due to this, they survive approximately two weeks.[3]
To find a mate, the female cecropia moth emits
After mating, the female will lay up to one hundred eggs. These eggs are a mottled reddish brown and are usually found on either side of a host leaf. These eggs will eventually hatch into tiny black caterpillars.
There are typically five larval
Once the caterpillars reach maturity, they spin large brown cocoons longways on trees or wooden structures. They will then emerge as adults in the first two weeks of seasonally warm weather in early summer. Hyalophora cecropia moths are
Upon reaching adulthood, their size is variable. They are usually quite large, with a wingspan of about 5 to 7 inches (130 to 180 mm). The cecropia moth's wings are brownish with red near the base of the forewing. There are crescent-shaped spots of red with whitish centers on all wings, but are larger on the hindwings. All wings have whitish coloration followed by reddish bands of shading beyond the postmedial line that runs longitudinally down the center of all four wings. The body is hairy, with reddish coloring on the anterior, and fading to reddish/whitish. The abdomen has alternating bands of red and white.[6]
Threats
Pests of the moths have become a significant problem.
Parasitoids, such as some species of wasps and flies, lay their eggs in or on the young caterpillars. The eggs then hatch into larvae, which consume the internal organs and muscles of the caterpillars. The parasitoid releases chemicals that override the regulatory mechanisms of the caterpillar. Once the parasitoid has grown enough, it induces the caterpillar to pupate. Once the caterpillars pupate, the parasitoid larvae themselves pupate, killing the cecropia pupa.[7]
Squirrels also consume the pupae of cecropia moths, which can decrease the populations significantly.
Pruning of trees and leaving outdoor lights on at night can also be detrimental to cecropia moths.
Compsilura concinnata, introduced to North America to control invasive European gypsy moths, is a particular threat to the native North American cecropia moth.[8]
In science
The original description of the insect juvenile hormone by Carroll Williams in Nature in 1956 is from the cecropia silkworm.[9] This large insect had enough juvenile hormone in its abdomen to permit extraction of detectable amounts from a single specimen.
Cecropin, a major protein involved in the humoral immunity of most insects, was first isolated from and named after Hyalophota cecropia.[10]
In the media
In August 2012, a cecropia moth caterpillar was accidentally imported from
Life cycle gallery
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Cecropia eggs
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Caterpillar close up
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Female pupa
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Male adult
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Female adult
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Adult male cecropia shortly aftereclosion
References
- ^ "Cecropia Moth". National Wildlife Federation. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- ^ a b "Index to the Bombycoidea, Drepanoidea, Lasiocampoidea, and Mimallonoidea of Canada, with regional distributions", Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Government of Canada, February 18, 2004, retrieved June 12, 2013
- ^ "Cecropia Moth — Life Cycle".
- ^ "Cecropia Moth - Hyalophora cecropia". nhptv.org.
- ^ Gallice, Geoffrey. "Cecropia Moth". University of Florida. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- ^ Gallice, Geoffrey. "Cecropia moth". Featured Creatures. University of Florida.
- ^ "Parasites, Predators and Parasitoids". Moth Photographers Group. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- ^ Elkinton, J. S.; Boettner, G. H. The Effects of Compsilura concinnata, an Introduced Generalist Tachinid, on Non-Target Species in North America: A Cautionary Tale (PDF).
- ^ Williams, Carroll M. (1956). "The Juvenile Hormone of Insects". Nature. 178 (4526): 212-213.
- ^ Hultmark D (1982). Insect Immunity: Inducible Antibacterial Proteins from Hyalophota cecropia (PDF) (Ph.D. thesis). University of Stockholm.
- ^ "An uncommon visitor with many little legs". CBC News. August 8, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
- ^ "Rare stowaway turns into spectacular moth". CBC News. May 31, 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
External links
- Picture journal of cecropia development (warning, it may take a while to load)
- The cecropia moth
- Video presentation of mating cecropia moths. One had just emerged from and was still on its cocoon: [1], [2]
- Cecropia moth on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site