Western Pennsylvania
Actual ranges may, in many cases, be more expansive than noted. There are some species indicated that may now be extirpated.
Clicking on a scientific name will take you to a file with pictures and/or information.
On August 22, 2010, Ryan St. Laurent writes, "I make trips to southern PA each August to visit family. I usually find some saturniids while visiting, and today I came across two that interested me. You may remember that I found a regalis larva on black walnut a couple summers ago. Well, just today (22nd) I found an early final instar regalis on a black walnut very near where I found the other one. I attached a couple pictures I took. I also saw an early 4th instar imperialis in a silver maple tree (too high up to photograph well). You already have a record for regalis in Franklin Co., PA, from me, but I figured it's worth mentioning, especially now that I have a picture. You do not, on the other hand, have any records for imperialis for Franklin Co.
"I also have pictures of pine devils I reared this season. If you'd like any pictures of any instars/pupae or a series let me know and I can send you plenty. Speaking of pine devils, have you had any luck finding anyone that might have some pupae available? I've been searching quite a lot down here in southern PA/northern MD for pine devils to no avail. Do you ever get sightings of this species from anywhere farther north than Virginia? I might head over to West Virginia to do some searching in a day or two. Any detailed records (especially foodplant preferences) would be great as I have really only been checking white pine branches and surrounding forest floor for prepupals.
"Thanks, and I hope the new record well help."
Citheronia regalis early fifth instar, Franklin County, Pennsylvania,
August 22, 2010, courtesy of Ryan St. Laurent.
Donna Stolz (May 15, 2003) confirms the map inclusions for Alleghany County: "I have seen all of these in Allegheny County or nearby Butler County, (Regalis I have seen last summer in southern Bulter county (close to Allegheny), but only the remnants of the adults (wing parts, presumably eaten by predators) have tried to raise some larva, but not much luck. I assume that adults exist!"
Gene Morton (May 18, 2003) writes, "The only moth listed for my county, Crawford in NW PA, is Automeris io, and I have never seen it here. I have been checking willows for a long time too. We do have Callosamia promethea, C. angulifera, H. Cecropia, A. luna for sure. I will be checking for A. polyphemus when your female cocoons hatch and they start sending. The only C. angulifera I saw was a male attracted to a calling female promethea at 9:30PM. The promethea female had been transported in the car on a trip all day and was scenting much later than usual. We do have plenty of tulip trees in our forest, which is the favorite of promethea larvae, too. They also are found (wild ones) eating black cherry, beech, and white ash around here."
Steven MacDonald, Titusville, PA. (Crawford County),
reports Antheraea polyphemus on June 23, 2003.
Larry Silenius writes, "Mike Buczkowski and I just
found the following species in Green County in the SW corner of
Pennsylvania in July, 2003:
regalis;
Larry"
cecropia;
angulifera;
io;
polyphemus;
luna
Automeris io fifth instar, Schwenksville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania,
August 27, 2010, courtesy of Molly Light.
Joel Szymczyk sends the following information from York County:
"Here are a few preliminary data points for Saturniids from my new location.
"09 July- male Dryocampa rubicunda at blacklight
"25 July- Freshly emerged male A. polyphemus on an oak tree trunk, mid-afternoon
"10 September- "wandering" pre-pupal Actias luna caterpillar at the base of a Hickory tree. I put it in a container with some leaves, and by that
afternoon it had turned maroon-brown and started spinning a cocoon. It's now finished spinning and getting ready to overwinter.
"The habitat around the general area (near Lewisberry) is some open fields, some farmland, and lots of large white, red, and chestnut oaks, maples, cherry, hickory, sassafras, tulip-tree, and other deciduous trees and shrubs."
Citheronia regalis, Langhorne, Bucks County, Pennsylvania,
September 20, 2011, courtesy of non-member Robert Prizer.
Non-member Jana Atwell reports Antheraea polyphemus at 1400 feet in the Pocono Montains, Monroe County,
August 14, 2011.
Antheraea polyphemus fifth instar head, Pocono Mountains, Monroe County, Pennsylvania,
August 14, 2011, courtesy of Jana Atwell.
Antheraea polyphemus fifth instar head, Pocono Mountains, Monroe County, Pennsylvania,
August 14, 2011, courtesy of Jana Atwell.
"Our camp is in the Pocono Mountains of N.E. Pennsylvania, elevation 1400 ft.
"It was found crawling on the step of a camper. Our campground is predominantly oak and maple, with some ash, tulip tree, and black cherry.
"Contracted, it measures about 2 inches long and can extend to over 3 inches.
"Color: light green, with thin yellow nearly vertical lines on each segment. The head is light brown and appears to be “divided” (almost looks like compound eyes, but I know caterpillars have simple eyes.) It has a “V” shaped brown marking on its rear segment.
"There are paired tiny yellow bumps on each segment, and very fine bristles, barely visible unless you hold the caterpillar up to the light.
"The children who found it were excited to give it to me for the nature center. I’d like to let it stay here until it becomes an adult if you can give me any info on its food plant and how and where it will pupate."
I reply, "Hi Jana,
"That one is Antheraea polyphemus. They spin cocoons, sometimes hanging from tree by peduncle, more often spun up amongst leaf litter.
It is probably done feeding, but you can put it in a large glass jar wth some oak leaves still attached to branch. It will either eat the leaves or spin up its
cocoon amongst them. I suspect it is going to overwinter, but it may emerge in 2-4 weeks if it is going to try another brood."
Ryan St. Laurent reports Anisota senatoria, Anisota virginiensis, Citheronia regalis and Dryocampa rubicunda in Franklin County. Ryan writes, August 21, 2008, "I vistit southern PA a lot to see family and they are located in Franklin County. Over the years I have seen a large abundance of Anisota senatoria larvae in various species of oak trees. Some small trees were completely defoliated and I believe it was from this species during earlier broods. Every time I go to this one spot I have been able to find them. They are also found throughout other parts of Franklin County. I have found dead larvae of A. virginiensis and Dryocampa rubicunda in the same spots so I know they are around. I'm pretty sure when I was younger I found adult D. rubicunda. But the most exciting saturniid I ever found in PA was during a walk today. I was at a park checking the black walnut trees which are very common when I found was I was looking for... finally. It was a third instar Citheronia regalis that was very near molting to the 4th instar. I've never found a wild regalis so this was very exciting for me."
Cindy Mark (May 15, 2003) writes, "I live in (southern) Clinton County, PA. I have found cecropia, polyphemus, promethea and luna to be prevalent in this area."
Jane Dillonaire (May 15, 2003) writes,
"USGS reported species from Pike County, PA are horribly lacking.
We had a vacation home up there until just a couple months ago. I
can vouch that the species on the following list are present in
abundance in Pike County, PA. Have had them respond to calling
females and attracted to lights in large numbers.
"I've also seen what I recall as Anisota virginiensis in Pike
Co., but I do not have a specimen to be sure my memory is serving me
correctly.
"Also, I collected a mature larva 2 years ago of what I believe to
have been Hemileuca lucina in Pike Co. - reared it through to
pupation and gave it to my Entomology professor. It emerged over a
weekend that he was not at home and it beat its wings to stubs in the
small jar. By the time I saw it again, it was in such bad shape I
couldn't confirm my larval ID was correct. I'm pretty confident it
was lucina, but I won't swear to it. It would have been
pretty far out of its usual range.
"Also, I have not had success attracting wild mates of C. regalis
in either Pike or Northampton Counties over the past 3 years I've
been trying. For what it's worth, a friend says he has never seen
one in Northampton Co. in 40 years of watching. I haven't given up
yet, it could just be bad timing.
"You can also add C. promethea to Northampton Co. - I've had
up to 6 males per hour respond to calling females in my front yard.
This year's info: First wild luna male responded to calling
females 2 nights ago here in Northampton Co. No responses yet to io,
promethea or cecropia (and regalis). We keep
having cold snaps. Spring sure is taking it's time warming up the
nights around here."
Actias luna, Antheraea polyphemus, Hyalophora cecropia,
Automeris io, Callosamia promethea and Dryocampa rubicunda.
Bill Oehlke responds, "Jane, thanks for information
and comments. Most people believe that Citheronia regalis has been
extirpated throughout much of its range in New England and in other
northeastern states. The red circles indicating its presence in many
Pennsylvania counties are from old recordings. However, note Donna
Stolz's comments about C. regalis for Butler County.
"Tuskes, Tuttle and Collins (1996) report Hemileuca lucina from
southern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and northern
Michigan with an introduction into Connecticut.
They also state populations seem to move and there are population
explosions and crashes. You may have seen lucina, but it is
quite difficult to distinguish lucina from maia.
"Lemaire (2003) reports it had been assumed there were no populations
of lucina west of the Connecticut River, but he examined some
specimens from southern Ontario and from western New York and found
them "different" from lucina only by a slightly larger size.
Lemaire's report thus indicates you may well have seen lucina.
I suspect the reports of Samia cynthia from southeastern Pennsylvania
were accurate at the time they were made, but this introduced species
also seems to be on the decline and may no longer be present.
The more common species like luna, cecropia, promethea, polyphemus, etc.,
are probably much more widely distributed than indicated by the maps."
Tuskes, Tuttle and Collins show Sphingicampa bicolor in Pennsylvania,
but there are no listings for it on USGS site or on Lep. Soc. Season Summaries.
I suspect it flies throughout much of Pennsylvania.
Jeff Gilbert writes, "There are quite a few species
that are not represented from my county which is Cumberland.
A. senatoria, A. virginiensis and D. rubicunda are VERY
common here. Luna, cecropia, promethea, polyphemus and
angulifera are all common here, with the exception of
cecropia. I take a few most years, but they are no longer
common. Some years I take C. sepulcralis and once in a
blue-moon an imperialis. A. io are also very common.
Have seen A. stigma, but don't think they breed here.
Andy Rosen (May 15, 2003) writes, "I live in Milford,
which is situated at the eastern tip of Pike County
(Eastern Pennsylvania). Mixed forest (pine+deciduous, mostly oak).
All species mentioned on the Pike County map are OK. You should add,
however, Callosamia angulifera, which is not infrequent here
(end of June, early July). Among the others, A. polyphemus and
A. luna are the most commonly
seen, followed by C. promethea (females at lights) and (rarer)
H. cecropia. Some species are abundant during one or two
consecutive seasons, then they "disappear" for the next one or two.
Last summer, for example, we had an "invasion" of A. io. All
the other smaller Saturniidae are quite common.
Non-member Mia Detlefs confirms Citheronia regalis in Avondale, Chester
County, with a larva sighting on September 1, 2003.
Non-member Sue Wagner Fields, reports Citheronia regalis
in York County with a larva sighting on September 7, 2003.
Non-member Lynnette Leaman confirms A. polyphemus in
Cumberland County with picture of mature larva on September 15, 2003.
Steve Johnson adds Citheronia sepulcralis,
Callosamia promethea, Callosamia
angulifera, Anisota virginiensis, Anisota senatoria and
Anisota stigma to the list for Sullivan County.
Non-member Pat confirms regalis and imperialis
flying in Delta, York County, right near Maryland border in 2003.
Non-member Lori Gressley reports a mature Eacles imperialis
larva, Septmebr 25, 2004, in Berks County.
Nathan Boob, January 7, 2006 writes about Union County:
"A. polyphemus is very abundant. For the last three years I have been
tying out poly females near the house and it's common to have a
mated pair with 1 to 3 extra males hanging on the mated pair! I was
shocked the first time I saw it! It happens rather frequently.
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"C. promethea is also abundant here. It's common to attract a dozen
or more males with a calling female. Cocoons can still be found
hanging in fencerows and along roads. They don't seem to be as common
though as when I was a kid, but that wasn't that long ago! About 10
years ago I had a female emerge inside a large outside cage. I wasn't
home to check on the progress of incoming males. When I returned,
my dad told me I had a problem out back of the house that I had
better tend to. We didn't count, but we estimated about 100 males
flying around the cage!
"I have found Anistoa virginiensis females at lights. I suspect they
are common too as our forests consist mostly of oaks.
Two years ago I was cutting firewood and had a female Hemileuca maia
fly right past me. I excitedly ran after her and caught her. She
might have been a county record (I never looked into it). I saw two
more males flying the same day. This was a species that I had been
trying to locate in Union co. I intend to do more searching with
virgin females.
"I have also found male and female C. angulifera at lights and
suspect them to be common. Lots of Tulip poplar (Liriodendron
tulipifera) around.
"The two you have listed H. cecropia and A. luna are also abundant.
I have great success with calling females. However, It's getting hard
to find cecropia cocoons. Many of the ones I do find have been
parisitized.
"A. io, E. imperialis and C.regalis will be my main focus the next
few summers. I suspect io and imperialis to be present, but I don't
have much hope for regalis. I have some areas that I want to use
calling females in. I will let you know what I find. I will also get
in touch with my buddy Steve Johnson and get information on other
counties. He's all over the state collecting with lights."
