Actias selene taprobanis
U & L H Paukstadt, 1999

Image composited and transformed by Bill Oehlke

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Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

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

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DISTRIBUTION:

Actias selene taprobanus (wingspan 125-135 mm) flies in
Sri Lanka, with taprobanus being a local name for Sri Lanka.

Actias selene taprobanus, male, Sri Lanka.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Actias selene taprobanus broods continuously and the preferred larval foodplant is Rhododendron, but selene taprobanus also accepts cherry and apple.
Emergence occurs approximately three weeks after pupation.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females (above) extend a scent gland from the posterior tip of the abdomen to call in night-flying males.

Actias selene taprobanus female, courtesy of Paukstadt and Paukstadt

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

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.

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