DISTRIBUTION:

Actias rhodopneuma (wingspan 11-13 cm) flies in Laos, reported for the first time for
central Laos, from two male specimens from Luang Prabang, 2000 m, VI. 1997 and in the Naga Hills of Assam in
northeast India. It has also been observed in
China: southern Yunnan: Xishuangbanna; Guangxi; possibly southwestern Guangdong??
Burma,
central and northern Vietnam: Kom Tum, Chapa = Sa Pa (TB), Cao Bang (RC), and
Thailand: Chiang Mai and Doi Phu Kha National Park, Nan Province, 1300m.

Robert Vuattoux sends the following image, reported from northern Cambodia.

Actias rhodopneuma female, northern Cambodia,
November 2014, courtesy of Robert Vuattoux.

Visit stunning pictures of live Actias rhodopneuma males and female, China, courtesy of Alan Marson

Actias rhodopneuma, Vietnam, courtesy of Victor Sinyaev of Russia, via Yuri Berezhnoi

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are probably multiple broods with confirmed reports of a June flight in Laos and Vietnam. It also flies in June in northwest Yunnan Province, China.

It has been taken in July in northern Thailand: Chiang Mai.

Actias rhodopneuma female, paralectotype, Lepidoptera Section of ZFMK
(Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig),
http://www.museum-koenig.de,
courtesy of Dr. Dieter Stuening, curator and head, via Victor Sinyaev.

Actias rhodopneuma male (verso), Vietnam, June 12, 2007, courtesy of Vu Van Lien

Alan Marson reports great success with Actias rhodopneuma eggs and all instars on Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweetgum).

Serge Yevdoshenko reports success rearing larvae on Cotinus coggygria, Eurasian Smoketree.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the posterior tip of the abdomen to call in the smaller, night-flying males.

Actias rhodopneuma female, Thailand,
courtesy of Andreas Reikert, Germany

Thierry Bouyer and Raymond Chin have provided verso images of Actias rhodopneuma females from Chapa, Vietnam, and Cao Bang, Vietnam, respectively. Both these locations are new ones in Vietnam. The submission by Thierry helped identify the image submitted by Raymond.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Franz Renner sends the following larval images. Larvae are feeding on Rhus and are from eggs from North-West Yunnan, Gongshan, Kongmu, 4500m, June 2005.

Actias rhodopneuma first instar, courtesy of Franz and Julian Renner

Actias rhodopneuma second instar, courtesy of Franz and Julian Renner

Actias rhodopneuma third instar, courtesy of Franz and Julian Renner

Actias rhodopneuma fourth instar, courtesy of Franz and Julian Renner

Actias rhodopneuma fifth instar, Yunnan, China, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Actias rhodopneuma cocoon, Yunnan, China, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Visit Actias rhodopneuma male and all instars, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

Visit Actias rhodopneuma male, overwintered in cocoon outdoors in southern France.

Visit Actias rhodopneuma fifth instar, courtesy of Mark Lasko.

Visit Actias rhodopneuma male and female, Yunnan, China, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Visit Actias rhodopneuma male, Yunnan, China, courtesy of Weiwei Zhang.

Visit Actias rhopneuma male, courtesy of Gary Saunders.

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.

Cotinus coggygria (Serge Yevdoshenko) Liquidambar styraciflua (Alan Marson) ....... Rhus (Franz Renner)

Eurasian Smoketree Sweetgum Sumac

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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 "rhodopneuma" comes from the Latin/Greek words for rosy (rhodo) and spirit (pneuma).

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. There is an Asian species named Actias artemis.

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ActiasMothsinThailand.pdf