Actias neidhoeferi
AKT-ee-usMneed-HOH-fer-eye
Ong & Yu, 1968

Actias neidhoeferi male, Guanwu, Hsinchu, Miaoli County, Taiwan,
March 1, 2011, 2000m, courtesy of Bettaman.

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TAXONOMY: Superfamily Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Tribe: Saturniini, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Genus: Actias, Leach, 1815

MIDI MUSIC "Moon River" copyright C. Odenkirk MIDI CITY ON.OFF <bgsound src="moon.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION: Actias neidhoeferi (wingspan 63-70 mm) flies in Taiwan: Miaoli Co., 2000m; East Coast National Scenic Area; Nantou County, 2600m; and possibly in eastern China. This species looks very much like the North American Actias luna.

Actias neidhoeferi belongs in the Actias felicis group, comprised of the following species:

Actias felicis felicis, China: Jiangxi; Guangdong; Guangxi; Sichuan
Actias felicis arianeae, China: Shaanxi: Qin Ling Mountains, Fopin (1800m)
Actias uljanae: China: Hunan: Nanling Mts., 1500 m., Mt Shikengkong.
Actias chrisbrechlinae, China: Yunnan; Guangxi; 1950-2460m
Actias winbrechlini, China: northwestern Yunnan: Fengshuining Mountains (2460m), Yulong County; northern Myanmar = Burma: Kachin: Chudu Mountains (3000m)
Actias neidhoeferi, Taiwan; possibly eastern China
Actias kongjiaria, China: Sichuan: Gongga Shan; 2600-3200m
Actias vanschaycki, China: Sichuan, southwest of Heishui; 3100m
Actias shaanxiana, China: Shaanxi: Tai Bai Shan Mountains; Daba Shan Mountains; 1500m.

With the exception of Actias felicis felicis, Actias chrisbrechlinae and Actias uljanae the moths in this group seem devoid of a forewing pm line, and are an almost uniform pale green, without yellow or pink in the hindwing tails.

The forewing pm line is thin and regularly dentate in the specimens mentioned above.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Dr. Brechlin reports this moth on the wing in March and May-June. It might also fly at other times.

Carlos Lopez Vaamonde writes, "My colleague Shen Horn Yen rears this rare species on Picea morrisonicola Hayata."

Actias neidhoeferi, Taiwan: Nantou Province: Yuanfeng: Hohuan Pass
courtesy/copyright Ronald Brechlin.

Actias neidhoeferi, Taiwan, male courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males fly in a zigzag pattern in the night sky in an effort to locate, with their highly developed antennae, the female pheromone plume.

Actias neidhoeferi female, Dongpu Lodge, Nantou County, Taiwan,
May 13, 2011, 2600m, courtesy of Bettaman.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

Franz Renner has reared larvae to fifth instar on Larix decidua. The material comes from Taiwan.

Actias neidhoeferi first instar on Larix decidua, Taiwan,
July 24, 2010, courtesy of Franz and Julian Renner

Actias neidhoeferi second instar on Larix decidua, Taiwan,
August 2, 2010, courtesy of Franz and Julian Renner

Actias neidhoeferi third instar on Larix decidua, Taiwan,
August 8, 2010, courtesy of Franz and Julian Renner

Actias neidhoeferi fourth instar on Larix decidua, Taiwan,
August 15, 2010, courtesy of Franz and Julian Renner

Actias neidhoeferi fifth instar on Larix decidua, Taiwan,
August 22, 2010, courtesy of Franz and Julian Renner

Larval Food Plants

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.

Larix decidua (FR) Picea morrisonicola (SHY/CLV) ........

European Larch Yushan Spruce

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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.

The species name "neidhoeferi" is honourific for Neidhoefer.

The genus name, Actias, probably comes from the Greek Actaeon, who is the hunter who had the misfortune of being torn to pieces by his own dogs after accidentally encountering the naked goddess Artemis. To punish him, Artemis splashed water on Actaeon and turned him into a stag.

Actias neidhoeferi male

Actias neidhoeferi
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