DISTRIBUTION:

Rothschildia roxana flies in
Mexico: Veracruz, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Quintana Roo, Yucatan (PK) and Chiapas; and in
Belize: Cayo and Toledo;
Guatemala: Huehuetenango (1000m); and
Nicaragua: Jinotega, Chontales, Zelaya, Rio San Juan, probably Matagalpa and Boaco.

The following moth from Cortes, Honduras, might?? be R. roxana.

Rothschildia roxana, Cortes, Honduras,
courtesy/copyright Eduarto Marabuto, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Roxana has a chestnut brown ground colour with the nearly straight forewing postmedial line which lacks strong dentation, especially from the hyaline area to the costa, and is relatively distant from the outer margin. Hyaline spots are elongated and tend to be indented on the body side in the male. The hindwing spots are not always indented in the female. It has been taken at elevations as high as 1000m in Guatemala, but generally flies at lower elevation than orizaba, which tends to have a more dentate pm line, closer to the outer margin.

Rothschildia roxana Veracruz, Mexico, courtesy of Kelly Price.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This species feeds on Prunus serotina, Prunus laurocerasus and Ligustrum.

Rothschildia roxana male, Mexico, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Rothschildia roxana female, Mexico, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Like most of the Rothschildia, except for the diurnal zacateca, this species calls and pairs at night.

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 roxana larva copyright Kirby Wolfe

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.

Ligustrum Prunus serotina Prunus laurocerasus.....

Privet Wild black cherry Kirschlorbeer

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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.

Roxana is the name of the wife of Alexander the Great. I do not know why Schaus chose this name.

On my home computer only: Rothschildia roxana female, Chiapas, Mexico.