Page 364 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Saturniidae
DISTRIBUTION South Asia, China, Japan, and parts of Southeast Asia
HABITAT Temperate forests, scrub, and gardens
HOST PLANTS Various, including Hibiscus spp., apple (Malus spp.), and wild pear
(Pyrus spp.)
NOTE Apple-green silkmoth caterpillar that “clicks” to scare predators
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but widespread

ADULT WINGSPAN
3⅛–4⅝ in (80–120 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
4 in (100 mm)
ACTIAS SELENE
INDIAN MOON MOTH
362
(HÜBNER, 1806)

Indian Moon Moth caterpillars emerge from around 100 pale
brown eggs laid some two weeks earlier on the host plant. The
larvae have an incredibly strong grip, attaching themselves
rmly to branches, which makes it di cult for predators, such

as birds, to pull them o . If disturbed, they defend themselves
by twisting around and making a clicking noise with their jaws
to scare their attackers. As the caterpillar approaches pupation,
it becomes paler in color and spins a silk cocoon in which to
pupate. The adult emerges about six weeks later.

The Indian Moon Moth caterpillar is mostly
red with a black saddle at the rst instar stage. There are usually two generations a year, but in the more
It changes appearance as it molts, becoming
bright apple green in the third instar. The head southerly regions the moth breeds all year round. The species
and legs are dark brown. Each segment, apart

from the last, bears large, orange-yellow, is easy to rear, and the lovely, night- ying adult, with large,
spiny warts. pale green wings and a long tail, is, unsurprisingly, kept by
entomologists worldwide. Although the
Indian Moon Moth is a member
of the silkmoth family, its silk
is not used commercially.

Actual size