DISTRIBUTION:

Archaeoattacus edwardsii (wingspan: males: 195-215mm; females: 165-215mm) flies in
India;
Nepal: June-August;
Bhutan: common below 1800 m in W Bhutan; May-July;
Vietnam;
Myanmar = Burma;
Thailand: Chiang Mai;
Laos: Phongsali Province;
Malaysia: Sri Pennanjau, Genting Highlands;
Brunei Darussalam and in
southern China: Xizang (Tibet) and Yunnan provinces.

Archaeoattacus edwardsii male, Yunnan, China, June 2008, courtesy of Weiwei Zhang.

Ron Brechlin indicates he could find no difference between the specimens from the Himalayas and those from Vietnam, western Malaysia, etc. (Brosch, U., S. Naumann, L.H. Paukstadt, U. Paukstadt, I. Tcherniak & M. Beeke (1999)). He maintains this synonymity in Entomo-Satsphingia (March, 2009).

Some maintain the subspecies Archaeoattaus edwardsii malayanus, Kurosawa and Kishida, 1985 ("1984") as a distinct subspecies.

I do not know as of this date (August 2009) if DNA barcoding has revised the status of this moth.

Visit Archaeoattacus edwardsii, Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia, courtesy of Kelly Price.

Visit Archaeoattacus edwardsii, Mt Fan Si Pan, Lao Cai, Vietnam, July, courtesy of Vu Van Lien.

Archaeoattacus edwardsi, Sri Pennanjau (elevation 1200m), Telecom Apartments, Malaysia,
March 11, 2007, 11:15pm, courtesy/copyright Preston Murphy.

Archaeoattacus edwardsii malayanus (Kurosawa & Kishida, [1985] 1984) is a synonym of Archaeoattacus edwardsii.

Archaeoattacus edwardsii, Chiang Mai, Thailand, courtesy of John Moore.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Teemu Klemetti offers the following regarding flight on peninsular Malaysia: This species flies in the months of "March-April. It should have a second brood in October-November (confirmed). Males come to light between 10-11 pm; females later around midnight." C.W. gan confirms a December flight in Frasers Hill, Pahang, Malaysia.

In central Laos there is a flight in July-August-September.

Vu Van Lien confirms a July flight in northern Vietnam.

Weiwei Zhang reports a June flight in Yunnan, China.

They have been taken in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from May until August.

Archaeoattacus edwardsi female, North Laos, Phongsali Province, courtesy of Teemu Klemetti

Archaeoattacus edwardsi pair, North Laos, Phongsali Province, courtesy of Teemu Klemetti

Ailanthus and Kashi holly are favorite natural hosts as are Machilus (Magnoliaceae) and Prunus (Rosaceae).

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

The forewing apex of both sexes is markedly produced. Females are considerably larger with "fuller" wings. Females extend a scent gland from the posterior tip of the abdomen to call in night-flying males whose undersides are as colourful and striking as the dorsal patterns. Photo courtesy of Scott Smith.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are relatively large, round, slightly flattened dorsally and are covered with a reddish brown glue. Egg image courtesy of Julian L Addy.

Eggs are deposited singly and the larvae are solitary feeders. The first instar larvae are striped as are most of the Attacus and Samia species. First instar larvae courtesy of Julian L Addy.

In the second instar there is a heavy buildup of waxy powder of scoli and body.

Larvae like warmth and humidity and prefer ailanthus, but privet is serving quite well for this larva. In a short while, the secretion of waxy powder will offer this newly moulted larva some protection as it moves through the foliage.

Larvae progress rapidly in warm humid conditions and do not like cooler, dryer conditions often encountered in captive rearing situations. First three larval images are courtesy of Zlatko Liber. The pinkish red patch on the "anal claspers" becomes quite distinct as the larvae progress.

A fine white powder covers larvae after each moult but quite a bit rubs off as they crawl through foliage. This fifth instar larva is getting ready to spin a cocoon that will be double-walled, as per the Attacus species, but edwardsii larvae tend to incoroporate twigs and leaf stems into the spinning. Photo courtesy of Mike Matheson.

Archaeoattus edwardsii, Nepal, courtesy/copyright Anatolij Kulak.

Archaeoattus edwardsii, fifth instar, courtesy/copyright Alan Marson.

Archaeoattacus edwardsii fifth instar on evergreen privet,
courtesy of Robert Vuattoux.

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...... Ilex chinensis Ligustrum Populus Prunus Salix Syringa vulgaris

Ailanthus Kashi holly Privet Poplar Cherry Willow Lilac

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On my home computer only: notes on Saturniidae of Bhutan by Ronald Brechlin (in English) as published in Entomo-Satsphingia 2 (1): 47 – 55 (March 2009)

The actual hardcopy editions of Entomo-Satsphingia may be purchased via the link to the left.