DISTRIBUTION:

Rothschildia arethusa rhodina flies in
eastern Ecuador: Sucumbios WO, Napo CL, Orellana (DM: Yasuni N.P.), Pastaza WO and Morona Santiago CL;
Peru: Junin, Huanuco, probably Pasco;
Colombia: Huila and Putamayo;
Brazil: Para, Amapa: Macapa (TW), Mato Grosso, probably Roraima and Amazonas; and
Venezuela: Aragua, Yaracuy (JE), Cojedes (JCFO), and probably Guarico and Bolivar.

Rothschildia arethusa rhodina female, Yasuni National Park, Orellana, Ecuador,
September 1, 2019, courtesy of Daniel Marlos.

The postmedial line is very wavy and especially curved inward from the forewing hyaline spot to the costa. There is an overall pinkish tinge to the ground colour.

Rothschildia arethusa rhodina male, Macapa, Amapa, Brazil,
12m, January 20, 2014, courtesy of Tracey Woolley.

Rothschildia arethusa rhodina male, Macapa, Amapa, Brazil,
January 20, 2014, courtesy of Tracey Woolley.

I am not sure if the moths from Macapa, Amapa, Brazil, are the nominate subspecies or subspecies rhodina, but I favour the later due to location. I think nominate arethusa is more of a southeastern Brazil-Argentina-Paraguay species.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Juan Escudero reports a July flight in Yaracuy, Venezuela. In captivity Ligustrum (privet) is commonly used as a hostplant but lilac, ailanthus and oak also serve well.

Rothschildia arethusa rhodina male, Yaracuy, Venezuela,
July, 2019, courtesy of Juan Escudero, via Renato Mattei.

Rothschildia arethusa rhodina male, Yaracuy, Venezuela,
July, 2019, courtesy of Juan Escudero, via Renato Mattei.

Rothschildia arethusa rhodina male, San Carlos, Cojedes, Venezuela,
152m, July 21, 2022, courtesy of J. C. Fernandez Ordonez; id by Bill Oehlke.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Like most of the Rothschildia, except for the diurnal zacateca, this species calls and pairs at night.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae get large and plump and need lots of food. Overcrowding should be avoided.

Rothschildia arethusa rhodina, first and third instars, central Ecuador, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

Rothschildia arethusa rhodina, fifth instar, central Ecuador, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

It is interesting to watch Rothschildia fashion their cocoons. A strong peduncle with a few support silk strands secures the structure while the larva continues "padding its nest" with a continuous back-and-forth movement of the head.

There are both inner and outer cocoons, each with a relatively long valve to facilitate eclosions.

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.

Ailanthus altissima..... Ligustrum Quercus Syringa vulgaris

Ailanthus Privet Oak Common lilac

Return to Main Saturniidae Index

Return to Rothschildia Index

The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion.

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

"Rothschildia" is chosen to honour one of the Rothschilds, possibly William.

The species name, arethusa, is from Greek mythology. Arethusa is one of the Nereids who is later turned into a fountain.

The subspecies name, rhodina is for the supercontinent Rhodina, believed to have existed in the middle to late Proterozoic period.