DISTRIBUTION:

The Antheraea kageri moth (wingspan approx. males: 100-108mm; females: 140 mm) flies in Indonesia: Sulawesi: Selatan Province, Puncak Palopo.

Antheraea kageri male, South Sulawesi, Mt. Sampuraga, 1400 m
from http://wildsilkmoth-indonesia.com/pic/swakag.html

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

The Antheraea kageri moth flies in May. There may be more than one brood.

Antheraea kageri male, Mamasa, Sulawesi, 99-100mm, courtesy of Dave Rolfe.

Antheraea kageri male, Mamasa, Sulawesi, 108mm, courtesy of Dave Rolfe.

Antheraea kageri, male (recto and verso), Sulawesi, wingspan: 99mm,
courtesy of David T. Rolfe, id by Ulrich Paukstadt and Frank Meister.

Regarding the images above, Dave Rolfe wrote, "These images are upper/underside of a moth that came with a lot of A. paukstadtorum from Sulawesi. The wingspan is 99mm, and it does not seem to fall in to any of the normal patterns for this very variable moth, also the wingtips seem too rounded. I could not match it up with any pics on any of the Saturniidae websites. What do you think?"

I sent the images to several experts for their opinions.

Ulrich Paukstadt writes back, "We are happy that somebody (except us) recognized that there is another species besides paukstadtorum and this is Antheraea (A.) kageri Paukstadt, Paukstadt & Suhardjono, 1997. This taxon matches exactly with your attached figures (larger ocelli, larger moth, and forewing apices broader and unicolor than in paukstadtorum). Antheraea kageri is not as comman as paukstadtorum is, the females are "unknown" (somewhere hidden within the females of paukstadtorum). Because the males of kageri are generally larger than paukstadtorum, the females should be too."

Frank Meister has also confirmed the David Rolfe images as A. kageri.

Stefan Naumann writes, "In my mind the specimen is one of the morphs of A. paukstadtorum. It fits quite well with that one which was later described as A. kageri. In few days I will send you box photos of my paukstadtorum specimens to show you something about the variability of that species. You can find all intermediate forms between all morphs, and if you would describe all, there would be more than 5 additional species. Interestingly, all have the same genitalia structures as far as I could see."

It will probably take some rearing results or dna analysis to determine if these moths are all A. paukstadtorum, or A. kageri or several different species.

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.

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.

Return to Antheraea Genus

Return to Main Index

Support this website and visit other insect sites by clicking flashing butterfly links to left or right.

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.