DISTRIBUTION:

Saturnia pavoniella (wingspan: males: 45-70mm; females: 50-95mm) flies in Austria, Italy (including Sicily), Czech Republic, and across southeastern Europe (Germany - Slovenia), and possibly in northern Turkey, the Caucasus Mountains, and southeastern France. It is reported in northern Greece.

This species has recently (2003) been separated from Saturnia pavonia by Huemer & Nässig.

I note, October 15, 2012, according to Tony Pittaway, that Saturnia pavonia ligurica and Saturnia pavonia meridionalis are both now treated as variants of Saturnia pavoniella, rather than as subspecies. Thus, there are additional images and info regarding pavoniella on those pages.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing from February to April as a single brood.

Larvae accept a variety of hosts including , but not limited to, bramble/raspberry (Rubus), Prunus (Prunus spinosa), hawthorn (Crataegus), oak (Quercus), hornbeam (Carpinus), birch (Betula), willow (Salix), heath (Erica), blueberry (Vaccinium), spiraea (Spiraea), meadowsweet (Filipendula), purple loosetrife (Lythrum), cinquefoil (Potentilla), wild rose (Rosa), heather (Calluna), sea buckthorn (Hippophae), etc.

Saturnia pavoniella female, Vlahi, Pirin Mountains, Bulgaria,
April 2, 2010, courtesy of Denise Taylor, id by Bill Oehlke.

Saturnia pavoniella female, courtesy of Tony Pittaway

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Moths emerge from pupae inside cocoons in early spring, even in cool weather, and females call during the morning and frequently mate more than once.

Saturnia pavoniella female, Bulgaria

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Oval, greyish-white eggs with an olive-brown gum are laid in a mass on twigs. Larvae hatch ten to fourteen days later depending on temperature. Warmth hastens development.

Black and bristly larvae eat their way out of their eggshells and move and feed openly and gregariously in the first instar. However, from the second instar they disperse and become solitary.

Saturnia pavoniella hatchlings on Crataegus,
Czech Republic, courtesy of Jurgen Vanhoudt.

"As they grow, patches of orange appear around the base of the tubercles, particularly ventro-laterally. These spread and coalesce with further growth, and gradually become green."

The fourth instar larva to the right shows the expansion and change of the orange area to a yellowish-green.

Saturnia pavoniella, probably third instar, Greece.

"Most full-grown larva (67--88mm) are peppermint-green with a yellow sub-spiracular line on the abdominal segments. Each segment bears dorsally a half-ring of six yellow, spine-topped tubercles. These may have a black ring around their base which, in some individuals, link up to form black patches. Full-grown larvae of this species have far less black pigmentation than is found in S. p. pavonia."

Saturnia pavoniella fifth instar larva,
courtesy of Diego Dalla Valle.

Mature larvae climb down hostplant stems and fashion their pear-shaped, double, unsealed brown cocoons low down amongst the hostplant, often at ground-level. The cocoons are of a coarse silk, and they are thin-walled with escape valves at the top. The light to dark brown pupa is 22-28mm long, and is noticeably dorso-ventrally flattened and 'comma'-shaped. Moths emerge even in cool weather ad take advantage of sunshine for the warmth necessary for flight.

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.

Rubus Prunus spinosa ....... Crataegus Quercus Carpinus Betula Salix Erica Vaccinium Spiraea Filipendula Lythrum Potentilla Rosa Calluna Hippophae

Bramble/raspberry Prunus Hawthorn Oak Hornbeam Birch Willow Heath Blueberry Spiraea Meadowsweet Purple loosetrife Cinquefoil Wild rose Heather Sea buckthorn

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