Eupackardia calleta
you-pack-KAR-dee-uhMkal-LET-tuh
(Westwood, 1853) Saturnia

Eupackardia calleta female, courtesy of Scott Smith

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 or Attacinae, Blanchard, 1840 Tribe: Attacini, Blanchard, 1840 Genus: Eupackardia Cockerell, 1912

DISTRIBUTION:

Eupackardia calleta (Wing span: 3 1/8 - 4 5/16 inches (8 - 11 cm)) flies in thorn scrub, foothills and canyons of desert mountain ranges, and dry desert in the Rio Grande Valley and Big Bend areas of
Texas (Jeff Keverline confirms a presence in Medina and Bexar counties, Texas) and in
southern Arizona and
southwestern New Mexico south to
Mexico: San Luis Potosi, Jalisco, Puebla, Veracruz and Chiapas, probably throughout most of Mexico, especially along Mexico/U.S. border, and into
Guatemala: Solola (JM). Dr. Ronald David Cave reports specimens taken in
Honduras: Intibuca and Ocotepeque.

Bernhard Wenczel writes, "I say E. caletta is something special, because its behavior is completely different from those that fly in Arizona or Sinaloa! The northern population's males are day flyers while those from Chiapas and Guatemala are nocturnal. Tests showed, that southern females can't attract northern males and reverse … Then a closer examination of pattern and colors (larvae and adults) shows regular and typical differences. Chris Conlan and I, we've been knowing it for 15 years yet, but neither Naumann nor Brechlin took notice of our independent observations - holy DNA didn't proove it … Meanwhile Stefan is convinced. too. that DNA isn't everything that makes the difference. He's on it."

Eupackardia calleta male, Texas,
March 27, 2013, courtesy of Jim Block.

Eupackardia calleta female, Texas,
March 27, 2013, courtesy of Jim Block.

Visit beautiful images (recto and verso) of a live female Eupackardia calleta, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Eupackardia calleta male, Mexico, courtesy of Fernando Calvo.

HABITAT

This species flies at low elevations in the United States and into the mountains of U.S., Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala at elevations up to 1800m.

Jeff Keverline confirms that wild cocoons can be found in Medina County, Texas, "in urban areas in large quantities on cenizo hedges that are often planted around subdivisions, shopping centers and gas stations."

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

In the southeastern mountains of Arizona there is one brood from July-August; from central Arizona to Mexico there is one brood from October-January; in South Texas there are two broods from September-November and March-April. At higher elevations in Mexico, peak flights occur in August-September. Caterpillars feed on Ceniza (Leucophyllum frutescens), ash (Fraxinus), Mexican jumping bean (Sapium biloculare), and ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens). Out of their natural habitat, larvae do well on privet, lilac and plum. My father, in New Jersey, has fed larvae indoors on cut food (privet) into early December and has had successful eclosions and matings (11:00 am) in late October of the following year. On December 17, 2002, I was asked to identify this larva on Texas sage from Rockport, Texas.

Males (Leroy Simon) have well developed antennae, narrower white banding and more falcate wings than do females.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Adult moths emerge in the late evening and begin mating the next morning, as early as 7:30 am until about noon.

The female, whose white postmedian lines are wider those of the male, exstends a scent gland from the tip of her abdomen. The airbourne pheromone is picked up by the males' antennae. Moths mate very readily in captivity.

Steve Bransky writes, August 6: "Bill, I had a few cocoons of Calleta from three years ago never emerged. Today one of those emerged a three year old pupa. Amazingly beautiful male. I almost threw them out, figured they were not viable. Just unreal three years as a pupa. I have had promethea out to two years but this is the first time I have recorded a three year gestation. Hope all is well.Steve"

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Females lay eggs beginning at dusk on the same day of mating with eggs being deposited in clumps on both surfaces of host plant leaves. Young caterpillars feed gregariously and older caterpillars are solitary feeders. Privet is readily accepted in captivity. Photo courtesy of Bill Welch.

Eupackardia calleta hatchlings appear black, Mexico,
courtesy of Fernando Calvo.

Eupackardia calleta mature first instars moulting into second instar, Mexico,
courtesy of Fernando Calvo.

Eupackardia calleta second instar on privet, Mexico,
courtesy of Fernando Calvo.

Eupackardia calleta third instars on privet, Mexico,
courtesy of Fernando Calvo.

Eupackardia calleta fourth instar, Mexico,
courtesy of Fernando Calvo.

Eupackardia calleta fifth instar, Mexico,
courtesy of Fernando Calvo.

Eupackardia calleta fifth instar, Mexico,
courtesy of Fernando Calvo.

Eupackardia calleta fifth instar, spinning cocoon on privet, Mexico,
courtesy of Fernando Calvo.

Eupackardia calleta fresh molt into second instar, Texas stock,
courtesy of Alex Baranowski.

Eupackardia calleta second instar, Texas stock,
courtesy of Alex Baranowski.

Eupackardia calleta second instar, Texas stock,
courtesy of Alex Baranowski.

Eupackardia calleta third instar, Texas stock,
courtesy of Alex Baranowski.

Eupackardia calleta fourth instar, Texas stock,
courtesy of Alex Baranowski.

Eupackardia calleta fourth instar, Texas stock,
courtesy of Alex Baranowski.

Eupackardia calleta fifth instar on privet, eggs from Texas,
courtesy of Alex Baranowski.

Eupackardia calleta fifth instar on privet, eggs from Texas,
courtesy of Alex Baranowski.

"I thought initially the moisture was from spraying, but found it repeatedly forms during food changes when I'm cutting limbs. I noticed that there is no mention of this on WLSS.

"Attached picture has it just on one tubercle (looks like tiny raindrop on dorsal scoli on segment above leaf node). Usually it's extruded on two sets near the head."

Eupackardia calleta fifth instar with exudate,
courtesy of Matthew Campbell.

Calleta eggs are expected to be available from Arizona in late July early August for those of you who are not too far north, and calleta eggs are expected to be available again from Texas in October-November for those of you in the deep south. In Texas where there are two broods annually, the first flight is usually in March-April.

There is often quite a range in colour and arrangement of spots among larvae as evidenced in these larval images by Leroy Simon. The yellowish larvae is getting ready to spin its cocoon.

This fifth instar larva is munching on privet. Larvae often feed well into December and obtaining foliage is often problematic for northern breeders.

The cocoon (without leaf-wrap) is attached to a twig by a short silken loop and is usually spun near the ground and often in shade. See image below.

Visit Eupackardia calleta male, female, third and fifth instar and cocoon spinning, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

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.

Betula Foresteria angustifolia Fouquieria splendens Fraxinus Leucophyllum frutescens..... Ligustrum Prunus pennsylvanica Prunus serotina Pyrus malus Rhus larina Salix babylonica Sapium biloculare Schinus molle Syringa vulgaris

Birch Narrow-leaf forestiera Ocotillo Ash Barometer bush/Ceniza..... Privet Pin cherry (Bill Oehlke) Wild black cherry Apple Laurel sumac Weeping willow Mexican jumping bean California peppertree Lilac

Photo by Loretta Calvet.

The larvae from different areas show different patterns as evidenced in these images courtesy of Jim Tuttle.

Eupackardia calleta, Three Rivers, Live Oak County, SE Texas, courtesy of Jim Tuttle.

Eupackardia calleta, SE Arizona, courtesy of Jim Tuttle.

Eupackardia calleta, courtesy of Jim Tuttle.

Eupackardia calleta fifth instar, courtesy of Robert Vuattoux.

Visit "stacked photo" technique of Eupackardia calleta cocoon and pupa, courtesy of Rod Millar.

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