Anisota stigma fuscosa
Ferguson, 1971

Anisota stigma fuscosa male, copyright protected, Kirby Wolfe.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke.
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family Saturniidae Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Ceratocampinae, Harris 1841 Genus: Anisota, Hübner, 1820 ("1816") Species: stigma fuscosa, Ferguson, 1971

DISTRIBUTION:

Anisota stigma fuscosa (wingspan: males: 35-45mm; females: 47-60mm) flies in the eastern third of Texas. Some regard fuscosa as a color variation of stigma rather than a subspecies. Those adults classified as fuscosa have a brown ground colour as opposed to the reddish-orangey brown of stigma.

Anisota stigma fuscosa male, Sam Houston Exp. Forest, Nacogdoches County, Texas
August 10, 1996, courtesy/copyright Charles Bordelon and Ed Knudson

Anisota stigma fuscosa male, Sam Houston Exp. Forest, Nacogdoches County, Texas
August 10, 1996, courtesy/copyright Charles Bordelon and Ed Knudson

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Anisota stigma fuscosa adults fly in August-September in Texas.

Fuscosa larvae feed upon oaks.

Anisota stigma fuscosa female, Deweyville, Newton County, Texas
August 18, 1979, courtesy/copyright Charles Bordelon and Ed Knudson

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in mid morning from 6:30-9:30 and then again, if unmated, from 1:00-3:00 pm, and the pair usually remain coupled until early evening when the females begin their ovapositing flights.

Anisota stigma fuscosa males, Zavala, Angelina County, Texas,
August 13, 2019, courtesy of Derek Bridgehouse.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Eggs are yellowish-orange. Oakworm larvae are gregarious but divide into smaller clusters as they progress. In the final instar they are solitary feeders and leave the host to pupute in shallow chambers. Pupation is under the soil.

Larvae do well in sleeves or on cut food.

Anisota stigma fuscosa larva, copyright protected, Kirby Wolfe.

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.

Castanea vulgaris Quercus falcata Quercus marilandica ..... Quercus nigra Quercus palustris Quercus stellata

American chestnut Southern red oak Blackjack oak Water oak Pin oak Post oak

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