Eacles imperialis
Family: Saturniidae
subfamily: Ceratocampinae-Hodges # 7704
Adult
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| MOLTING
TO FIFTH INSTAR IMMATURES |
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| PHOTO DETAILS - ©Nicky Davis LOCATION: Unknown ELEVATION: Unknown LIFE HISTORY: Ovum: I received 5 eggs but with no information on the day they were laid or the location. Larva: When three hatched 28 July 2012 they were placed on Ponderosa Pine, then a fir, then a maple, and a Scrub Oak. After not seeing them feed on any of the plants, I put them each on a Scrub Oak leaf with nothing else to eat for the night. In the morning they had fed on the oak. The other three hatchlings were also placed on oak and they also fed on it. They were first instars for five days or until 2 August 2012. They molted to third instar on 6 August 2012 or four days. Three larvae were given back to John Richards to rear since his hatchlings had refused to eat. The remaining two molted to fourth instar on 11 August 2012 which was five days as third instars. Note that this larva has red spikes on its head and tail but no black tips on the red spikes as it had as third instar. Also #2 fourth instar also has just red spikes. #1 molted to fifth instar at 8 P.M. 21 August which was 11 days spent as fourth instar. On August 25 it was 60 mm long. The maximum length before getting off plant to pupate was 85 mm. Both #1 and #2 threw their heads back and forth when I moved them to a new plant. When about to feed they would grab a leaf and rear back pulling the leaf to their mouths. #1 evacuated its bowels and walked off its plant 3:30 P.M. 9 September 2012. #2 walked off and evacuated bowels before 7 A.M. 10 September 2012. I transferred both to a plastic box filled with sand plus some brown paper towel strips and placed the boxes in a cupboard. TOTAL days between hatch date and formation of pupa was 51. TOTAL days larvae fed was 43. After eight days, before 7 A.M. 17 September 2012 both #1 and #2 pupated. #1 was 46 mm long, #2 was 48 mm long Pupa: Formed 17 September 2012. #1 has large antennae on the pupal case and the 4th segment past the wing case is not interrupted in any way. which would indicate a male. #2 2 is also a male. These hibernated for the winter in the crisper of the refrigerator at about 40 degrees. They were taken out on 28 April 2013 and misted every morning to keep hydrated. On 18 May 2013 #1 you could no longer see light through the pupa when shining a flashlight through it. On 24 May 2013 #2 was no longer translucent. Both pupae still moved when you held them. On June 5, 2013, both pupae began to expand so that the sections of the abdomen were extended but there was still no color change in the wing case or otherwise. #2 emerged between 10 P.M. 7, June and 6 A.M. 8 June, 2013 which was 41 days after coming out of hibernation. Adult: unknown Broods: one Larvae: 50 days as larvae Hibernation: Pupae hibernate - They took 40- 41 days to emerge from the date they were taken out of hibernation. Host Plant
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