Page 382 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Saturniidae
DISTRIBUTION Most of Africa south of the Sahara, Madagascar
HABITAT Tropical forests and savannahs
HOST PLANTS Various, including Castor Bean (Ricinus communis),
Guava (Psidium guajava), and mango (Mangifera spp.)
NOTE Caterpillar that is used as a food in southern Africa
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but widespread through much of Africa

ADULT WINGSPAN
4¼–6⅜ in (110–160 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
3½ in (90 mm)
BUNAEA ALCINOE
CABBAGE TREE EMPEROR
380
(STOLL, 1780)

The strikingly colored Cabbage Tree Emperor caterpillar
is big, and in great numbers it can completely defoliate large

trees. After nishing feeding in the fth instar, the caterpillar

evacuates its gut and burrows into the soil to form a chamber and
pupate. Larger larvae are eaten by gorillas and are also gathered
for human food, reportedly at the fth or sixth instar or even

after they have burrowed into the ground. They add excellent
nutrients to a diet that is often inadequate, and are also canned
and sold in grocery stores.

The beautiful moth is abundant throughout much of Africa, but
there is disagreement among lepidopterists as to whether the
populations in Kenya and Madagascar, named Bunaea auslaga,
represent a subspecies or a distinct species. Alcinoe, after
whom the Cabbage Tree Emperor was named, was, in Greek
mythology, the daughter of King Polybus of Corinth, who
was also the adoptive father of Oedipus.

The Cabbage Tree Emperor caterpillar is dark
black with orange, ovoid spiracles encircled
in deep red. A band of widely spaced white Actual size
“thorns” adorn each segment and point
backward. The head, true legs, and prolegs
are black, and the head is particularly large.
The anterior horns are black.