DISTRIBUTION:

Bomford's Emperor, Bunaeopsis bomfordi (forewing length: 60-68mm), flies in
Zimbabwe: Mashonaland, Inyanga, Mountains and Marandellas.

The male's bushy antennae are a dark redddish-brown. The female's antennae are fine and black. The thorax is dark brown and yellow while the abdomen is yellow with grey bands.

The wings are yellow with a very generous dusting of black. The forewing eyespot is pale brown and is ringed with black and then white. The hindwing eyspot is pale brown and ringed with black, brick red and then white.

The am line is irregular, black internally, white externally. The pm line is slightly curved (convex) and wavy.

This species is quite similar to B. zaddachi, but B. bomfordi is consistently larger.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There is only one generation per year with moths on the wing from January and February. Bunaeopsis bomfordi larvae are believed to favour Dolichos.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Bunaeopsis bomfordi males are active at night and come in to lights. Females have not been collected, but it is expected they scent at night and have a very strong ovipositing urge.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

The life history is unknown, but larvae are expected to feed upon Dolichos, the poisonous Hyacinth bean.

I believe all mature Buanaeopsis larvae excavate subterranean chambers and pupate underground.

The larvae are black with red median bands, girdling each segment, and short black spines.

Bunaeopsis bomfordi larva from Pinhey's
Emperor Moths of South and South-Central Africa, 1972,
on my home computer only.

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.

Dolichos.......

Hyacinth bean/Lablab

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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

The genus name Bunaeopsis, indicates a similarity ('opsis' = looks like) to the Bunaea genus. That name is from the Greek and refers to a lobed hill-dweller.

The species name bomfordi is honourific for Peter Bomford.