HEMILEUCA OF THE WORLD

Hemileuca electra electra (W. G. Wright). Photos by Chris Conlan. Typical of the genus, this scenting female is calling mid-morning.	H. e. electra

HEMILEUCA WALKER, 1855

Many of these moths inhabit desert, chaparral and montane regions of the southwestern United States. Most species are brightly coloured day fliers with peak flights in the fall. Males, typically smaller than females, have bipectinate antennae.

Eggs are usually deposited in rings on host twigs. Larvae emerge the following spring as buds begin to open. Early instar larvae are highly gregarious, and dark colouration of all instars facilitates heat absortion and allows the larvae to progress fairly rapidly in the early spring when temperatures are still, in many locales, relatively cool.

Larvae, which pass through a minimum of five instars, have short tufts or clusters of urticating spines which can cause a nasty welt. Hemileuca eglanterina on Prunus pennsylvanica to the right. Scan by Bill Oehlke.

Pupation is usually in a very flimsy cocoon (just a few strands of silk) at the base of the host plant. Sometimes larvae will excavate a deep chamber if the soil is soft.

Hopefully site members can find some eggs rings or larvae this spring and summer for rearing and photographing, or will encounter some moths this fall. If you are going to rear a species from a warm, dry area, then a lidded jar with lots of moisture would probably not be good!

Listing of Hemileuca

P artemis Packard, 1893, New Mexico
P burnsi J. H. Watson, 1910, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, California,
P chinatiensis (Tinkham, 1943), Texas, New Mexico; Mexico
P conwayae Peigler, 1985, Texas
P dyari (Draudt, 1930) Mexico
P eglanterina eglanterina (Boisduval, 1852), California, western U.S.; British Columbia, Alberta
ab. denudata (Neumoegen, 1891), California, is a synonym for eglanterina
boisduvali (Oberthur, 1914), California, is a synonym for eglanterina
harrisi (Oberthur, 1914), Nevada, is a synonym for eglanterina
P eglanterina annulata Ferguson, 1971 Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Montana, New Mexico.
P eglanterina shastaensis (Grote, 1880) Oregon, California, Washington
P electra electra W. G. Wright, 1884, California; Mexico
ab. rickseckeri J. H. Watson, 1912, California, is a synonym for electra electra
f. watsoni Schussler, 1934, California, is a synonym for electra electra
P electra clio Barnes & McDunnough, 1918 Arizona
P electra mojavensis Tuskes & McElfresh, 1995 California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah
P electra rubra McElfresh & Tuskes, 1995, Mexico
P griffini Tuskes, 1978, Utah, Arizona, Nevada
P grotei Grote and Robinson, 1868, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado
P grotei diana Packard, 1874, Colorado; ?? Arizona, New Mexico
P hera hera (Harris, 1841), Rocky Mountains
P hera magnifica (Rotger, 1948), Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico
P hera marcata (Neumoegen, 1891), Oregon, northern California
P hualapai (Neumoegen, 1882), Arizona; Mexico
P juno Packard, 1872, Arizona, California, New Mexico; Mexico
yavapai Neumoegen, 1881, Arizona, is a synonym for juno
P lares (Druce, 1897) Mexico
P lex (Druce, 1897) Mexico
P lucina Henry Edwards, 1887, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island
P maia (Drury, 1773), Great Lakes Region to Florida to Texas
P mania (Druce, 1897) Mexico
f. macellaria, (Draudt, 1930), Mexico, is a synonym for mania
P marillia Dyar, (1911) Mexico
P mexicana (Druce, 1887) Mexico
P neumoegeni (Henry Edwards, 1881), Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California
P nevadensis Stretch 1872, Nevada, Oregon, Montana, N.D., S.D., Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado, California, Colorado, Utah, Arizona; Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia
californica W. G. Wright, 1888, California, is a synonym for nevadensis
lucina latifascia Barnes & McDunnough, 1916, Manitoba, Canada, is a synonym for nevadensis
P numa (Druce, 1897) Mexico
nitria (Druce, 1897), Mexico, is a synonym for numa
packardi Cockerell, 1914, Mexico, is a synonym for numa
P nuttalli nuttalli (Strecker, 1875), Rocky Mountains
P nuttalli uniformis (Cockerell, 1914), Rocky Mountains
P oliviae Cockerell, 1898, New Mexico, Kansas, Colorado, Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas; Mexico
ab. grisea Cockerell, 1914, New Mexico, is a synonym for oliviae
ab. suffousa Cockerell, 1914, New Mexico, is a synonym for oliviae
P peigleri Lemaire 1981, Texas
P peninsularis Lemaire 1993 Mexico
P rubridorsa R. Felder & Rogenhofer, 1874 Mexico
norba (Druce, 1897), Mexico, is a synonym for rubridorsa
minette Dyar, 1911, Mexico, is a synonym for rubridorsa
P slosseri Peigler and Stone 1989, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma
P sororia (H. Edwarsds, 1881) Mexico
P stonei Lemaire, 1993 Arizona; Mexico
P tricolor (Packard, 1872), New Mexico, Arizona; Mexico

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