DISTRIBUTION:

Actias gnoma miyatai (wingspan: approximately 10 cm) flies in
Japan: Hachijojima, one of the Izu seven islands, situated 290km's South of Tokyo.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths have enmerged in September-October from eggs probably deposited in July. I suspect there may also be a May flight, but I have no confirmation of same.

The preferred foodplants probably are Alnus japonica, Castanea crenata and Quercus acutissima.

Actias gnoma miyatai PT female, Miharayama, Hachijojima, Japan,
September 22, 1975, courtesy of Vadim Zolotuhin.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males fly in a zigzag pattern in the night sky in an effort to locate, with their highly developed antennae, the female pheromone plume.

Females have the traditional green colouration but tails are extremely long. The forewings of the female are also broader than those of the male.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larval Food Plants

It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the probable foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Alnus japonica Betula Castanea crenata Quercus acutissima..... Salix

Japanese alder Birch Sweet chestnut Sawtooth oak Willow

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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 species name "gnoma" may be from the Greek word meaning knowledge, and could be for the "knowing eyes" of the hindwings.

The subspecies name "miyatai" is honourific for T. Miyata.

The genus name, Actias, probably comes from the Greek Actaeon, who is the hunter who had the misfortune of being torn to pieces by his own dogs after accidentally encountering the naked goddess Artemis. To punish him, Artemis splashed water on Actaeon and turned him into a stag.

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