Pseudobunaea epithyrena
Updated as per Saturnafrica #8 (Zambia: S. Mwense; Kasanka N. P.), February 2011;; January 31, 2014

Pseudobunaea epithyrena
(Maassen & Weyding, 1885) (Bunaea)

Pseudobunaea epithyrena courtesy of Frans Desmet,
Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelcom.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: Pseudobunaea, Bouvier, 1927

MIDI MUSIC

Wind Beneath My Wings
copyright C. Odenkirk
MIDI CITY
ON.OFF
<bgsound src="wings.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Pseudobunaea epithyrena (wingspan: males: approx. 130mm; females ) flies in
Tanzania. BOLD Systems indicates specimens from
Kenya;
Malawi; and Zambia: Central Province: Kasanka National Park.

With the advent of DNA barcoding analysis (2008), many new Saturniidae species have been named, including many Pseudobunaea species from the various mountain ranges in Tanzania.

The following link, Tanzania Pseudobunaea Comparison Chart, will hopefully help me and others to determine species as they become available for posting.

I will be using information on Wiki Species and scientific journal publications to post information and write my own descriptions of the Tanzanian Pseudobunaea. If you have digital images that you can submmit with data (wingspan, elevation, date, precise location), I will do my best to confirm your ids or offer suggestions, and will incorporate your images, credited to you, into the respective files. Please help improve the scope and accuracy of this site by submitting images. All photos remain the property of respective photographers.

Pseudobunaea epithyrena male, 130mm, BOLD Systems.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

The Pseudobunaea epithyrena moth flies in the month of ??

Larvae feed on Brachystegia randi, Pterocarpus, Uapaca and Berlinia. Brachystegia spiciformis and Populus are also listed as larval hosts.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Eclosion is from underground pupae.

Both sexes fly at night with the males coming in to lights around midnight, the scenting time of the females.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:


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.

Berlinia
Brachystegia randi......
Pterocarpus
Uapaca
Brachystegia spiciformis......
Populus

Mnondo
Msasa
Mukwa
Wild loquat
Msasa
Poplar

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.

Return to Pseudobunaea Index

Goto African Saturniidae Directory

Goto Main Saturniidae Index