Eacles silkae
Updated as per Entomo Satsphingia Jahrgang 4 Heft 3 23.08.2011; January 29, 2012

Eacles silkae
EE-uh-kleesMSILK-ay
Brechlin & Meister 2011

Eacles silkae male, French Guiana, courtesy of Carlot Didier, id by Bill Oehlke.

Eacles silkae male, French Guiana,
on my home computer only.

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Ceratocampinae, Harris, 1841
Genus: Eacles, Hübner, [1819]

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DISTRIBUTION:

Eacles silkae (approximate wingspan: males: 106-115mm; females: 130mm) flies in
French Guiana: Cayenne; Kaw, Belizon; at elevations of 80-200m.

Many specimens previously identified as Eacles masoni fulvaster have been reassigned. Those specimens from French Guiana with a strong upturn in the hindwing pm line near the apex are now classified as Eacles silkae.

Eacles silkae male, French Guiana,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck, id by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Adult specimens have been taken in May, July, September and November, suggesting at least three to four broods annually.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females, which are much plainer than males, probably mate around 10:00 P.M., and the pair remains coupled until the following evening. Upon separation, the females begin their ovipositing flights.

Eacles silkae female, French Guiana, courtesy of Carlot Didier, id by Bill Oehlke.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Semi-translucent green eggs, girdled with a black band, are deposited singly or in small clusters of up to six. The larvae become visible through the egg shells a day or so before emerging.

Larvae are solitary in their feeding habits. At maturity larvae descend trees to pupate in underground chambers.

Pupae should be stored under cool, but above freezing temperatures, and sprinkling with water a few times a week in June encourages July-August eclosions. There is another brood typically on the wing in January.


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.

Liquidambar
Quercus
Prunus domestica .......

Sweetgum
Oak
Plum

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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

Some of the early describers/namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or history.

Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour a contempory friend/collector/etc.

I do not know the source of the genus name "Eacles", but it may be a combination of "Ea", the Greek word for gods and goddesses and the Greek suffix "cles", meaning 'glory of'.

The species name "silkae" is honorific for Silke van Schayck.