DISTRIBUTION:

Rothschildia speculifer speculifera (now Rothschildia speculifer speculifer; Brechlin & Meister, 2012) (wingspan up to 12.5 cm) flies in
eastern Brazil: Minas Gerais (LV), Goias, Parana (CM), Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo: Tapirai (EB); E of Campinas (CRA); Avanhandava (AvB); Santa Catarina: Massaranduba (JAR), Rio Grande do Sul: Itapua (MP), Bahia (ESs);
Paraguay: Canindeyu, Alto Parana, Caaguazu, Guaira, Paraguari, Cordillera, possibly Itapua;
Uruguay: (R. speculifera siriae) Tacaurembo Department: Cuchilla de los Laureles;
Argentina: Misiones.

Look-a-like species from central and southern Peru and western Bolivia are Rothschildia aurota andensis.

Nominate aurota is probably limited to Suriname, French Guiana, Venezuela and Guyana; subspecies R. aurota auromeridensis flies in Venezuela: Merida; Carabobo; subspecies R. aurota auroamazonensis flies in northern Peru: Amazonas, Loreto, San Martin and eastern Ecuador: Napo, Sucumbios, Morona Santiago and Zamora Chinchipe.

A more reddish subspecies, R. speculifer rubra, flies in Bahia; Maranhao; and possibly Espirito Santo, and a much more southerly subspecies, R. speculifer siriae, flies in Uruguay.

I am uncertain as to the determination of the southern Paraguay population as speculifer or aurota.

Rothschildia speculifer speculifer, Maravilhosa, E. of Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
February 25, 2016, courtesy of Chesley Rodrigues Aguilar, id by Bill Oehlke.

Moths in this grouping have more pink in the forewings than most other Rothschildia and have less dentate postmedial lines compared to the other species.

Originally treated as Attacus speculifera, this moth then became known as R. aurota speculifera, until recently (2012) when it was elevated to full species status by Brechlin & Meister as Rothschildia speculifer.

Rothschildia speculifer speculifer male, Carandai, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
October 13, 2004, courtesy of Leonardo Pimenta de Acevedo

Rothschildia speculifer speculifer male, Tapirai, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
September 12, 2014, courtesy of Enio Branco.

Rothschildia speculifer speculifer male, Tapirai, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
September 12, 2014, courtesy of Enio Branco.

Rothschildia speculifer speculifer male, Misiones, Argentina,
courtesy of Reinhard Foerster.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

I suspect there are three broods annually with peak flights likely to occur in January (JW)-February, June-July and again in October.

This species prefers privet in captivity and also eats Cephalanthus, Fraxinus, Ligustrum, Prunus and Syringa vulgaris. Larry Valentine has found them on citrus in southeastern Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Rothschildia speculifer speculifera female, Misiones, Argentina,
courtesy of Reinhard Foerster.

Rothschildia speculifera speculifera, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, February 24,
courtesy of Larry Valentine, id by Bill Oehlke.

Rothschildia speculifera speculifera, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, February 24,
courtesy of Larry Valentine, id by Bill Oehlke.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Night flying males are attracted to female's airbourne pheromones. Most activity occurs from just before midnight until 3:30 am. Moths do visit lights.

Rothschildia speculifer male, Avanhandava, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
January 14, 2014, courtesy of Alexander von Buldring.

This moth has more pink in the forewings than most other Rothschildia species. The flares into the post median area project outward from the pm line from its intersection with the inner margin all the way to the costa. There are also pinkish suffusions in the upper half of the basal area.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Large, smooth, white eggs are laid in patches.

Larvae like it warm and dry although an occasional sprinkling of tepid water on the leaves is beneficial. Caterpillars get quite large and need fresh food.

Cocoon remains affixed to tree branch via a very short peduncle. A valve in the leaf-wrapped cocoon allows for easy exit.

Rothschildia speculifera speculifera fifth instar on citrus,
Minas Gerais, Brazil, November 21, 2008,
courtesy of Larry Valentine, id by Bill Oehlke.

Rothschildia speculifer speculifera third instar larva, courtesy of Robert Lemaitre.

Visit Rothschildia aurota speculifera fourth and fifth instars, courtesy of Rainer Plontke.

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.

Cephalanthus Citrus (LV) Fraxinus Ligustrum japonica Prunus Syringa vulgaris .........

Buttonbush Citrus White ash Japanese privet Cherry 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.

I do not know the reason for the species name, speculifer, but "speculifera" means 'mirror bearing' and probably refers to the large hyaline areas which are sometimes reflective, or the fact that the moth so closely resembles (mirror image) the nominate subspecies.

Visit additional images of Rothschildia speculifer speculifer males and females from Brazil.

Visit males, eggs, all instars and cocoon of Rothschildia speculifer or Rothschildia aurota from Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel and PYBIO.