DISTRIBUTION:

Salassa mesosa (wingspan: 120-160mm) and subspecies or form melanops flies in
northeastern India: Assam: Khasia Hills (HT);
northern Burma = Myanmar (probably S. excellens),
southwestern China: Yunnan (am).

Dave Rolfe reports Salassa mesosa in
northern Thailand: Fang, Chiangmai, and Doi Anthanon.

Ronald Brechlin adds southeastern Bhutan at elevations around 2000m.

BOLD Systems reports this species in China, Myanmar, Thailand and
northern Vietnam ??.

Salassa mesosa male, Fang, Chiangmai, northern Thailand,
133mm, June 2006, courtesy of Dave Rolfe.

Alan Marson writes, "I have recently been rearing larvae of Salassa mesosa from eggs originating from Yunnan, China. Only had a few, and when they hatched, they refused everything that I offered except for Tilia platyphyllos. They seemed to do well on that, but I only got them as far as 4th instar. I've attached some photos of the early stages."

Alan tried rearing them again in 2009 and obtained some fifth instar photos, posted near bottom of this page.

Salassa mesosa, Doi Inthanon, Thailand,
160mm, June 2006, 2100m, courtesy of Dave Rolfe.

Salassa mesosa male, Thailand, 120mm, courtesy of Dave Rolfe.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There is an April flight, with most moths on the wing from May to August.

Alan Marson reports their natural host in China is a Juglans species. he had some success rearing them to fourth instar on Tilia platyphyllos in 2008, but none made it past the fourth instar. Better success was had in 2009 on Juglans regia with larvae progressing to the fifth instar, but none pupated.

Salassa mesosa melanops (verso), courtesy of Swedish Museum of Natural History.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Salassa mesosa female, Fang, Chiangmai, northern Thailand,
137mm, June 2006, courtesy of Dave Rolfe.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae spin loose cocoons near the ground amongst loose debris.

Salassa mesosa, first instar (hatchling), Yunnan Province, China,
on Tilia platyphyllos, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, first instar (lateral), Yunnan Province, China,
on Tilia platyphyllos, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, first instar, Yunnan Province, China,
on Tilia platyphyllos, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, first instar, Yunnan Province, China,
on Tilia platyphyllos, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, second instar (ventral), Yunnan Province, China,
on Tilia platyphyllos, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, second instar (lateral), Yunnan Province, China,
on Tilia platyphyllos, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, second instar (lateral), Yunnan Province, China,
on Tilia platyphyllos, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, second instar (lateral), Yunnan Province, China,
on Tilia platyphyllos, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, second instar (dorsal), Yunnan Province, China,
on Tilia platyphyllos, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, second and third instars, Yunnan Province, China,
on Tilia platyphyllos, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, fourth instar (lateral), Yunnan Province, China,
on Tilia platyphyllos, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, fourth instar (head), Yunnan Province, China,
on Tilia platyphyllos, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, fourth instar (dorsal), Yunnan Province, China,
on Tilia platyphyllos, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, fourth instar (dorsal), Yunnan Province, China,
on Tilia platyphyllos, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, fourth and fifth instars, Yunnan Province, China,
on Juglans regia , courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, fourth and fifth instars, Yunnan Province, China,
on Juglans regia, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Salassa mesosa, fifth instars, Yunnan Province, China,
on Juglans regia, courtesy of Alan Marson.

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.

Juglans (AM) Juglans regia (AM) Tilia platyphyllos ........ (AM)

Walnut English Walnut Large-leaved Linden/Large-leaved Lime

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On my home computer only: notes on Saturniidae of Bhutan by Ronald Brechlin (in English) as published in Entomo-Satsphingia 2 (1): 47 – 55 (March 2009)