Callosamia angulifera on Sassafras

I recently (July 12, 2004) received these notes from Bruce Feller.

Bill -

I am not sure if you are still developing/refining Saturniidae distribution data by geographical area, but in addition to information provided earlier, I can report with certainty the presence of C. angulifera in Suffolk County, NY, which is where I live and raise silk moths.

We witnessed three separate, wild, male fly-ins the last week of June through the first week of July. These specimens were responding to caged angulifera females and, based on size, I would rule out the unlikely possibility of someone raising and releasing angulifera nearby.

What is notable in this scenario is the relative absence of tulip poplar in this area. The occasional tree of this type is typically in a cultivated landscape, where cocoons would be removed with fallen leaf litter.

Further, as I believe I reported last year, we were successful rearing angulifera on live, sleeved plants of sassafras.

Interestingly, larva did not accept cut leaves as they hatched, but only live, growing plant material. Survival rates were high and specimens well sized. Needless to say, I have assembled reference specimens of both sexes from this brood, as well as one male specimen of the wild fly-ins.

Adults are typical in appearance and behavior, pairing at 21:00 - 22:00, separating shortly after midnight, with some oviposition later that same night, primary oviposition commencing at darkness the following evening.

We are attempting to rear offspring from one wild pairing and one caged pairing of siblings on sassafras to continue our observations of this population. I have also provided ova from these pairings to a few other breeders. Incidentally, the source of the breeding stock was a wild, collected female taken in North Central Pennsylvania, July 2003, from which I was able to secure ova.

As one would expect, tulip poplar was a common forest tree at the source location. This information may be of interest to others in the membership. Accordingly, feel free to post it on your website.

Thank you.

Bruce Feller

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