DISTRIBUTION:

The Golden Emperor Silk Moth, Loepa katinka (wingspan 9-13 cm) is a Himalayan species that flies in
Northern India: TL Assam, Sikkim, W. Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh,
Nepal,
Bhutan: central and western at elevations from 1500-2500m, May-July
Tibet,
northern Myanmar = Burma: Kachin: Kambaiti,
northern Vietnam, and
southwestern China: (western Yunnan).

Roger Kendrick writes, "Loepa katinka has broader pink and red f/w basal fascia that are almost perpendicular to the dorsum."

Loepa katinka, Maredumilli, Eastern Ghats, India, June 24, 2007.

Loepa katinka has a more tirangular forewing shape and is slightly larger than L. sikkima.

Loepa katinka male, Kachin, Myanmar,
May 28, 2006, 2358m, courtesy of Stefan Naumann.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Larvae feed on species of vines (Cissus) and creepers (Vitus), and also may take hawthorn in captivity. This species has also been reported on Dillenia species.

Loepa katinka (female), India, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Adults emerge in the early evening and fly rather weakly at night.

Females have larger bodies, fractionally finer antennae, and much more rounded and larger wings than males.

Loepa katinka female, copyright protected, courtesy of Thibaud Decaens.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae are dark brown, setose, have conspicuous triangular white patches laterally on each segment and have urticating hairs. The cocoons are very similar in appearance to those of Loepa newara, both being pitcher-pot shaped, and green with open tops. Leroy Simon image

Loepa katinka larva on Virginia creeper, copyright protected, courtesy of Thibaud Decaens.

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.

Cissus Crataegus Dillenia pentagyna Leea Parthenocissus tricuspidata..... Vitis inconstans

Grape Ivy Hawthorn Dillenia Leea Boston Ivy Grape

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.

Return to Loepa Index

Goto Asian Pacific Saturniidae Directory

Goto Indo Eastern European Saturniidae Directory

Goto Main Saturniidae Index

Support this website and visit other insect sites by clicking flashing butterfly links to left or right.

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.

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)

The actual hardcopy editions of Entomo-Satsphingia may be purchased via the link to the left.