Louisiana Parishes

This distribution chart is a compilation of information from Paul Opler's Moths of North America Website, the Lepidopterists' Society Season Summary, The Wild Silk Moths of North America by Tuskes, Tuttle and Collins and personal communication with residents (past/present) of Louisiana. See comments below the map.

Actual ranges may, in many cases, be more expansive than noted.

Vernon A. Brou has been extemely helpful with distributions, especially C. sepulcralis and H. maia. Vernon has also provided data on Automeris io which he refers to as subspecies io lilith. He feels there may be as many as four broods of this phenotype (Lemaire)/subspecies (Brou) in Louisiana, with peak flights beginning in early April and continuing at 46 day intervals until early to mid August with moths occasionally taken as late as November.

A. consularis is probably limited to the southern coastal parishes, if it occurs in Louisiana at all. S. bisecta probably flies throughout the state even though it is not indicated on the maps.

With the exceptions of C. sepulcralis (southeast) and A. louisiana (coastal), I suspect most of the other species are common and widespread.

Clicking on a scientific name will take you to a file with pictures and/or information.

Western Louisiana

O Anisota consularis
O Anisota senatoria
O Anisota stigma
O Anisota virginiensis
O Citheronia regalis
O Citheronia sepulcralis
O Dryocampa rubicunda
O Eacles imperialis
@ Sphingicampa bicolor
@ Sphingicampa bisecta

# Automeris io (lilith)
# Automeris louisiana
# Hemileuca maia

X Callosamia angulifera
X Callosamia promethea
X Callosamia securifera
X Hyalophora cecropia

+ Actias luna
+ Antheraea polyphemus

O Anisota consularis
O Anisota senatoria
O Anisota stigma
O Anisota virginiensis
O Citheronia regalis
O Citheronia sepulcralis
O Dryocampa rubicunda
O Eacles imperialis
@ Sphingicampa bicolor
@ Sphingicampa bisecta

Non-member Bill Wood reports an Hyalophora cecropia from Keithville (Caddo Parish), May 10, 2007.

Kay Milligan reports a fifth instar Hyalophora cecropia larva from Libuse, Rapides Parish, on June 22, 2003.

Southeastern Louisiana

O Anisota consularis
O Anisota senatoria
O Anisota stigma
O Anisota virginiensis
O Citheronia regalis
O Citheronia sepulcralis
O Dryocampa rubicunda
O Eacles imperialis
@ Sphingicampa bicolor
@ Sphingicampa bisecta

# Automeris io (lilith)
# Automeris louisiana
# Hemileuca maia

X Callosamia angulifera
X Callosamia promethea
X Callosamia securifera
X Hyalophora cecropia

+ Actias luna
+ Antheraea polyphemus

Tee Tarleton sent me this picture from St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. I have seen the same kind of behaviour in larval sleeves where the larva actually leave the host and begin crawling around on the inside of the sleeve. I think they do this when they are preparing to moult.

Tee Tarleton confirms Hemileuca maia in Albita Springs, St. Tammany Parish with larval images.

Non-member Joseph Mitternight confirms Antherae polyphemus for Covington, Louisiana, Parish of St. Tammany, June 30, 2003. "We're about 35 miles north of New Orleans."

Non-member Michael McCann Sr. reports Antheraea polyphemus in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, September 30, 2003, as fifth instar larva, cocooned on October 1. Image below.

Non-member Joe Hansen reports Eacles imperialis from Tangipahoa Parish, confirmed with larval image. The larva was found under a large willow oak on September 29, 2004.

Member Bob Nuelle sent images of Sphingicampa bicolor and Sphingicampa bisecta from St. Martin's Parish, taken July 2, 2005.

Non-member Don Griffith of Livingston Parish, not far from Baton Rouge, sent the image below of an Antheraea polyphemus female, taken March 1, 2006.

Antheraea polyphemus female, Bossier, Bossier Parish, Louisiana,
June 24, 2007, courtesy of Annette Williams, via Jeff Trahan.

Vernon Brou indicates at least five flights of Dryocampa rubicunda from early March until early October, with peaks usually around April 2, May 8, June 13, July 20 and August 18 with some overlapping of broods in late June/early July when the species is most abundant.

Vernon also indicates at least five broods for Actias luna with the first peak in late March and the final peak in mid September.

Eacles imperialis female, Eddie Jones Park, Caddo Parish, Louisiana,
August 29, 2013, courtesy of Jeff Trahan, digital repair by Bill Oehlke.

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