DISTRIBUTION:

Attacus aurantiacus (wingspan: males: females: 240mm (AR)) mainly flies in the Key Islands in the South Moluccas of Indonesia. It is also found as far east as New Guinea.

" It is recorded for the first time from Ambon Island, Province Maluku Selatan (South Moluccas), Indonesia, and is sympatric with A. crameri (C. Felder, 1861). A. aurantiacus is, as far as known, mainly distributed on the Kepulauan Kai (Key Islands), Prov. Maluku Selatan with a few scattered records on Halmahera Island, Prov. Maluku Utara (North Moluccas), from Sorong, Cendrawasih (Vogelkop Peninsula), Prov. Irian Jaya (western part of the island of New Guinea), and from Yule Island off the southern coast of Papua Nuigini." Ulrich Paukstadt

The basic ground colour is bright orange. The red dash near the forewing apex is thin and short. The forewing postmedial line is slightly crenulate. The submarginal lines on all wings are brown.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been recorded for all months except July and November.

Larvae are probably polyphagous, accepting a great many foodplants and are reported to wander from one foodplant to another under natural conditions, "looking for a varied diet."

Ailanthus, lilac and privet are readily accepted in captivity.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Attacus aurantiacus female, courtesy of Christian Kutzscher,
from SDEI - Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut Collection

Attacus aurantiacus female, 240mm, Kai Kecil Island, Moluccas,
August 2015, courtesy of Andy Rosen.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are very large compared to those of other Saturniidae and incubate for 8-14 days depending upon temperature.

After less than a week of feeding, larvae moult and produce larvae with large (relative to body), fleshy scoli. The body and scoli are covered with a waxy white powder.

The ground colour of the body is turquoise green, covered with a thin layer of wax; the lateral patches on the anal prolegs are dark brownish, the spiracles are inconspicuous. The scoli are colourful. There is no reduction in size of the dorsal scoli on the meso and metathorax or on the 8th abdominal segment as is known from the more advanced Attacus species like A. Atlas, A. taprobanis or, most progressed, A. caesar, in which the dorsal scoli are transformed into spraying cathedrals. By contrast, the thoracic scoli are the largest of all in A. aurantiacus. The cocoon is baggy, as usual into the genus.

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.

Ailanthus altissima Aleurites montana Alstonia scholaris Annona muricata Ardesia sieboldii Artemisia vulgaris Averrhoa carambola Berberis asiatica Berberis thunbergii Berberis vulgaris Betula platyphylla Bischofia javanica Camellia sinensis Canangium odoratum Carpinus betulus Ceiba pentandra Cinnamomum camphora Cinnamomum iners Cinnamomum zeylanicum Citrus Clerodendrum serratum Clerodenrum viscosum Clidemia hirta Coffea arabica Conarium indicum Curcuma viridiflora Dillenica indica Dillenia pentagyna Erythrina subumbrana Euphorbia longana Ficus Fraxinus Glochidion rubrum Glochidion velutinum Hibiscus Ilex Ipomoea batatas Kalmia latifolia Laegerstroemia indica Lannea grandis Lantana camara Leucosceptrum canum Ligustrum Litchi chinensis Lonicera japonica Mangifera indica Melastoma malabathricum Meyna grisea Morus Nauclea rotundifolia Nephelium lappaceum Nephelium lappaceum Nerium oleander Nicolaia speciosa Parkia intermedia Parkia speciosa Persea americana Persea pyriformis Phyllanthus emblica Piper Populus Prunus Pyrus malus Pyrus communis Quisqualis indica Rhododendron Ricinis communis Rosa Salix Sandoricum koetjape Sapium insigne Sapium sebiferum Sarcostemma brunonianum...... Sassafras albidum Schlefflera octophylla Schleichera oleosa Sesbania grandiflora Setaria viridis Spathodea campanulata Stachytarpheta cayennensis..... Swietenia mahogani Symplocos paniculata Syringa vulgaris Syzygium aqueum Syzygium malaccense Theobroma cacoa Uncaria gambir

Chinese tree of Heaven Mu-oil tree Devil tree Prickly custard apple Ardesia sieboldii Mugwort Country gooseberry Barberry Japanese barberry Common barberry Japanese white birch Toog Green tea tree Fereng (Thailand), or llang-llang (Philippines) Europeanhornbeam White silk cotton Quinine Camphor Wild cinnamon Cinnamon Citrus Glory-bower Glory-bower Koster's curse Coffee Conarium indicum Turmeric Dillenica indica Dillenia pentagyna Dangs Coral tree Eye-ball tree Fig Ash Glochidion velutinum Hibiscus Holly Sweet potatoe Mountain laurel Crapemyrtle Lannea grandis Yellow sage Leucosceptrum canum Privet Lychee Soapberry/Lichti Japanese honeysuckle Mango Indian rhododendron Meyna grisea Mulberry Nauclea rotundifolia Lychee Lychee Common oleander Kecombrang Locust bean Locust bean Avocado Persea pyriformis Emblic Pepper Poplar Apple Pear Rangoon creeper Rhododendron Castor-oal bean Rose Willow Kechapi, Santol, Sentul Curupi Chinese tallow tree Sarcostemma brunonianum Sassafras Umbrella tree Kosum Agati/Rattlebox Bristle grass Flame tree/African tuliptree Verbena/Blue snakeweed West Indian mahogany Sweetleaf Lilac Swamp peach Malay apple Cocoa Gambir

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