Actias truncatipennis
AKT-ee-usmmtrun-kat-ih-PEN-nihs
(Sonthannax, 1899) Tropaea

Actias truncatipennis male, Mexico,
courtesy/copyright Leroy Simon.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
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

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

DISTRIBUTION:

Actias truncatipennis, which is quite larger with longer tails compared to Actias luna, flies in
Mexico:
Puebla: Xicotepec: Villa Juarez; Huauchinango; Zacapoaxtla: Apulco;
Veracruz: Cordoba; Naolinco; Zontecomatlán de López y Fuentes: Zontecomatlan;
Hidalgo: Lolotla: Ixtlahuaco; Molango de Escamilla: Molango; Molango de Escamilla: Laguna Atezca;
Chiapas.

Visit Hybrid Section.

Actias truncatipennis male, copyright Kirby Wolfe

This moth now has full species status.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Actias truncatipennis larvae feed upon sweetgum and walnut.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Actias truncatipennis female, copyright Dominique Ades.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Green larvae pass through five instars before spinning a cocoon amongst foliage or in ground litter.

Actias truncatipennis fifth instar, Mexico,
courtesy/copyright Leroy Simon.

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.

Juglans Liquidambar formosana Liquidambar styraciflua..... Schinus terebinthifolius

Walnut Formosan Gum Sweetgum Brazil peppertree

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