DISTRIBUTION:

Antheraea helferi borneensis (wingspan: males: approx. 125-145mm; females: approx. 143-165mm; forewing length: males: ; females: 76-86mm) flies in
Borneo;
Brunei: Bukit Retak (1618m);
Malaysia: Fraser's Hill, Cameron-Highlands, Pahang; Genting Highlands (1500m) and
Sumatra.

A brown female form exists for this species. The males usually (not always) have a prominent display of dark wing veins.

This species is quite similar to A. diehli which may be limited to lowland rainforests, but there are significant differences upon close examination, especially in the male. Females are more difficult to determine. New description of females by Rolfe and Naumann, 2009, makes determinations much easier. See diehli file.

I believe this moth has been elevated to full species status as Antheraea borneensis.

Antheraea helferi borneensis male, Malaysia, mid August, courtesy of Wayne Hsu.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Teemu Klemetti offers the following regarding flight on peninsular Malaysia: "Antheraeas flew for the whole period 8th of March-26th of May. They may have peaks March-May and October-December - males 1:00-5:00 am, females 8:00pm (rosieri) or midnight (youngi, ulrichbroschi)."

Specimens are also recorded in Malaysia for February, April, June-July-August, indicating the moth probably broods continuously.

Antheraea helferi borneensis female, Frasers Hill, Malaysia, August 2004,
courtesy/copyright Preston Murphy, slight digital wing repair by Bill Oehlke.

Antheraea helferi borneensis male, Frasers Hill, Malaysia, August 2004,
courtesy/copyright Preston Murphy, slight digital wing repair by Bill Oehlke.

Antheraea helferi borneensis male, Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia,
wingspan approx. 145mm, courtesy/copyright Kelly Price.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use highly developed antennae to detect female scent which is distributed into the wind. Males fly into the wind in a zigzag pattern to detect the pheromone and subsequently locate the female.

Antheraea helferi borneensis male.

Antheraea helferi borneensis female, Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia,
April 2004, courtesy of Kelly Price.

Antheraea diehli female; probably not, as A. diehli females are without faint orange postmedial band
This female is more likely Antheraea borneensis.

Additional differences between A. diehli and A. borneensis:

diehli forewing am line is purplish black; borneensis fw am line is pink-red;
female diehli hindwing am line ends above ocellus; female borneensis hindwing am line circles ocellus, thin and undulating below ocellus;
dark pm (all wings) lines outwardly traced with whitish-violet in diehli; dark pm lines outwardly traced with broader pink in borneensis.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

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.

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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

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

"Antheraea" is derived from either the Latin "anthra" referring to pollen held in the anther (top part of stamen = male part of flower) or from the Greek feminine of "anthros" meaning flowery. There may be a link to the large and feathery antennae which distinguish many of the males of this genus.

The species name, helferi, is honourific for Helfer.

The subspecies name, borneensis is indicative of the specimen type locality in Borneo.

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