Salassa kitchingi
Updated as per Entomo Satsphingia Jahrgang 3 Heft 3 28.06.2010; February 6, 2012

Salassa kitchingi
Brechlin 2010

Salassa kitchingi?? (probably something else) male, Nepal, courtesy of Eric van Schayck,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Salassa kitchingi male (HT), 93mm, Sindhu Palchok, Nepal,
on my home computer only.

The lower male (HT) has a more produced forewing apex and considerably more and larger white spots on the forewing and hindwing pm line.

Superfamily: Bombycoidea Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Salassinae Michener, 1949
Genus: Salassa Moore, 1859

MIDI MUSIC

"Moon River"
copyright C. Odenkirk
MIDI CITY

ON.OFF
<bgsound src="moon.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Salassa kitchingi (winmgspan: males: 93mm; females: 101-106mm // Mfwl: 47-53mm; Ffwl: 54-56mm) flies in
Nepal: Sindhu Palchok (2300m); Ganesh Himal (2700m); Bagmati; Kohsi (2500m).

Possibly S. kitchingi and S. hauensteini are synonymous. B&M

The male's forewing discal spots are smaller than those of the much more brownish female.

Salassa kitchingi male (HT), 93mm, Sindhu Palchok, Nepal,
on my home computer only.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Dave Rolfe indicates a June flight at high altitude in Nepal. They have also been reported on the wing in March, May and July. There may be additional flight months, but I suspect this moth is double-brooded with an early spring flight in March, followed by a second flight in May-July.

Salassa species, male, 93 mm, confirmed as high altitude lola,
Phulchowki Mountain, Kathmandu, Nepal,
June 2, 1991, courtesy of Dave Rolfe.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Salassa kitchingi female, 101mm, Ganesh Himal, Nepal,
on my home computer only.

Salassa kitchingi female (verso), 101mm, Ganesh Himal, Nepal,
on my home computer only.

Salassa lola?? female, courtesy of Teemu Klemetti, (more likely from thespis group).

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae are covered with spine-bearing warts.

It would appear that cocoons of this species probably hang from trees suspended by a strong silk peduncle.

Image courtesy of Laela H. Paukstadt.

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.

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