DISTRIBUTION:

Rothschildia cincta guerreronis (wingspan: males: 102-117mm; females: 109-114mm) flies in
Mexico: Jalisco (EGP); Colima; Guerrero; Etat de Mexico; Morelos; Oaxaca; Hidalgo (KP).

Rothschildia cincta guerreronis, male, 102mm, Guerrero, Mexico,
courtesy of Kelly Price, id by Bill Oehlke.

Rothschildia cincta guerreronis, male, 117mm, Hidalgo, Mexico,
courtesy of Kelly Price, id by Bill Oehlke.

Rothschildia cincta guerreronis, female, 109mm, Guerrero, Mexico,
courtesy of Kelly Price, id by Bill Oehlke.

Rothschildia cincta guerreronis, female, 114mm, Guerrero, Mexico,
courtesy of Kelly Price, id by Bill Oehlke.

This subspecies is larger than nominate cincta and it has narrower postmedial lines and larger, more elongated hyaline spots.

Rothschildia cincta guerreronis Mexico, male, 102mm, courtesy of Manuel Balcazar-Lara.

Kirby Wolfe regards this moth as a distinct species, Rothschildia guererronis.

Rothschildia guerreronis male, Morelos, Mexico, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are at probably least two broods annually in January and again in May-July.

This species will probably accept Ligustrum (privet), lilac, ailanthus and oak.

Russell Witkop reports success with staghorn sumac. Adult moths hatched from larvae reared on Rhus typhina. Kirby Wolfe reports success with privet and plum.

Werner Spiess reports success on Ligustrum ovalifolium.

Rothschildia guerreronis female, Morelos, Mexico, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

Rothschildia guerreronis male (pairing), Gueretaro, Mexico, courtesy of Clint Davis.

Rothschildia guerreronis male, Mexico, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

Rothschildia guerreronis female (verso, pairing), Gueretaro, Mexico, courtesy of Clint Davis.

Rothschildia cincta guerreronis male, Chamela, Jalisco, Mexico,
courtesy/copyright of Elí García-Padilla, id by Bill Oehlke

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Like most of the Rothschildia, except for the diurnal zacateca, this species calls and pairs at night. Females are active from 11:00pm until 12:30 am; males are active from midnight until 2:30 am, but neither sex comes readily to lights.

Rothschildia cincta guerreronis male, Mt. Albans, Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, Mexico,
summer 2013, courtesy of Moralea Milne, id by Bill Oehlke

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

It is interesting to watch Rothschildia fashion their cocoons. A strong peduncle with a few support silk strands secures the structure while the larva continues "padding its nest" with a continuous back-and-forth movement of the head.

There are both inner and outer cocoons, each with a relatively long valve to facilitate eclosions.

Rothschildia cincta guerreronis Mexico, courtesy of Viktor Suter via Bernhard Wenczel.

Rothschildia guerreronis fifth instar, Morelos, Mexico, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

Visit Rothschilida cincta guerreronis male and larva, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

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 Ligustrum (KW) Ligustrum ovalifolium (WS) ....... Prunus (KW) Quercus Rhus typhina (RW) Syringa vulgaris

Ailanthus Privet Oval-leafed privet Plum Oak Staghorn sumac Common lilac

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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.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

"Rothschildia" is chosen to honour one of the Rothschilds, possibly William.

The species name, cincta, comes from the Latin cinctus, meaning girdle, and probably was chosen for the white band separating (girdling) the thorax from the abdomen.

Guerreronis indicates the lectotype locality, from Guerrero, Mexico.