Bunaea aslauga
Bunaea aslauga
Kirby, 1877
Bunaea aslauga male, Madagascar: Ambatofinandrahana, courtesy of Mike Jordan.
This site has been created by
Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.
| TAXONOMY:
Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Tribe: Bunaeini, Packard, 1902
Genus: Bunaea, Hubner, [1819] 1816
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DISTRIBUTION:Bunaea aslauga flies only in
Madagascar. Bunaea auslaga seems to be limited to the southern two-thirds of Madagascar.
Bunaea vulpes is also reported from Madagascar. I do not have an image of vulpes, and I do not know if it is still considered a valid species.
The three specimens on this page (below) with very broad, white, post median lines and additional suffusions of white in the median area seem to be an unnamed
species as of May 2012.
Bunaea aslauga female, Madasgascar, courtesy of Robert Vuattoux. |
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FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:
Bunaea aslauga adults emerge in the spring, often after a
warm rain. Brain Fletcher reports a late October flight in 2006.
Bunaea aslauga female, Madagascar: Ambatofinandrahana,
courtesy of Mike Jordan.
Bunaea aslauga male, Ranaomafana Reserve, Madagascar,
October 30, 2006, courtesy of Brian Fletcher.
ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:
This species emerges at dusk and females attract the
night flying males with an airbourne pheromone.
The pair remains coupled for a
relatively short time. Females have thinner and blacker antennae and their abdomens are much
broader and forewings are more rounded than in males.
Bunaea aslauga?? (male), Madagascar, courtesy of
Eric van Schayck.
Bunaea aslauga?? (female), Madagascar, courtesy of
Eric van Schayck.
EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:
Rough, black pupae are formed deep (10-15 cm)
underground. Under artificial conditions pupae will emerge after being kept moist following
immersion in tepid water.
Fith instar larvae
courtesy of Rodolphe Rogerie. Privet serves as food plant.
Bunaea aslauga fifth instar, Ambatofinandrahana, Centre, Madagascar,
courtesy of Patrick Basquin.
Bunaea aslauga female, Ambatofinandrahana, Centre, Madagascar,
courtesy of Patrick Basquin.
Larval Food Plants
It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will
prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.
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