Eupackardia calleta Hodges # 7763 Calleta Silkmoth Family:  Saturniidae, Subfamily:  Saturniinae Adults Home        Butterflies       Details Immatures       Cocoons

Male Male Male Male Photo Details ©Nicky Davis On 15 August 2012 I received first and second instars from John Richards.  They had been feeding on privet  and were moved to Lilac  successfully. They were located and oviposited on 1 August 2013 Box Canyon, Pima County, Arizona.  Larvae emerged 11 August 2013. First instars  were 4 mm. long Second instar  16 August, 2013, 11 mm. long on 18 August 2013 Third instar 20 August, 12 mm 21 August, 15 mm on  22 August, 20 mm on 23 August, 24 mm on 24 August #1 set to molt on 25 August Fourth instar (#1) 26 August -  25 mm long on 26 August Fifth Instar  (#1) 31 August -2013 #1 Fifth Instar on 1 September 40 mm, on 2 September  47 mm, on 3 September 50 mm, on 5 September 60 mm, on 6 September 60 mm. #2 Fifth Instar on 8 September was 75 mm. long and purged liquid the night of 9th September.  The length of these are quite variable from when they are resting and when they are stretched out to feed. Cocoon Spinning #1 Purged liquid and spun the cocoon overnight on 7- 8 September 2013 #2 Purged liquid before 8 A.M.  10 September  2013.  It had started to spin in a place where two stems came together.  Since that would have been awkward to move to a place to overwinter, I removed some leaves and moved the stem. The caterpillar began to re-spin the cocoon after investigating the new arrangement in detail.  It finally put an anchor down on a leaf at  11:30 A.M. and had the cocoon  formed by 7:25 P.M. the same day.  I believe it was still silking inside the cocoon for  a time after that.  On 4 October 2013,  after they had all pupated inside the cocoons, they were placed in the crisper of the fridge to overwinter. 5 days as first instar 4 days as second instar 6 days as third instar 5 days as fourth instar 9 days as fifth instar This pupa  was taken out of the refrigerator April 7, 2014 and  emerged 27 May 2014 - (Fifty days) Host Plant Lilac,  Privet and  Willow noted as host plants by Dr. John Richards Per Butterflies and Moths of North America host plants are Ceniza (Leucophyllum frutescens), ash (Fraxinus), Mexican jumping bean (Sapium biloculare), and ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens).   Other information :  Butterflies and Moths of North America