DISTRIBUTION:

The Antheraea yamamai moth (Wingspan 110--152mm) shows great colour variation from the sandy-yellow of the female illustrated above through brownish-grey, chocolate-brown, bronze, reddish-brown, khaki to chromium-yellow. The last colour form, which comes with red and pale pink markings, is rare in females.

Yamamai, whose natural home is the eastern Palaearctic (Japan), has been successfully introduced in Europe in northeastern Italy, southern and eastern Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia.

The subspecies described by Bryk (1948) from Korea (ssp. bergmani, Shoutsu, N Korea), was synonymized with the nominate ssp. yamamai by Witt (1985). The Korean populations are often treated as ssp. ussuriensis Schachbazov, 1953.

This moth is also seen in the Russian Far East and Primorye and in northeastern China.

FLIGHT TIME AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in deciduous forests from the second week of August into September as a single generation.

Larvae prefer oaks and chestnuts.

Leroy Simon image (male to left).

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Most adults emerge in the late morning, but few females call that same night. Pairing usually takes place just before midnight on the second night and lasts for about three hours. After separation, the male flies off in search of another mate.

Both sexes of this species are readily attracted to light.

Males which have distintive falcate wings, fly in a zigzag pattern into the wind and use highly developed antennae to seek out the "calling" females.

Females call by means of a pheromone emission from a retractible gland at the tip of the abdomen.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

After mating, the body-heavy female lays 30-40 eggs in neat rows on the nearest twigs. Flight and egg dispersal are achieved after this initial "dumping" of eggs.

Eggs, which are round to slightly oval, dorso-ventrally flattened, 2.6 x 2.5mm, china-white with brown gum, are then laid in chains of up to eight on the twigs of the host and do not hatch until April of the following year.

First instar larvae are predominantly green with five black lateral/longitudinal lines and body hairs. The large brown head typical of Antheraea species is evident in this image.

Larvae progress through five instars and bulk up considerably during the fourth and fifth instars, reaching lengths of 3.5 inches. Body colour remains green throughout the larval stage, but, in the fifth instar, the larval head becomes green.

Antheraea yamamai fourth instar on oak,
courtesy of Alex Baranowski.

Antheraea yamamai fourth instar on oak,
courtesy of Alex Baranowski.

The mahogany-brown pupa is 35--45mm long, cylindrical, but tapers towards both ends. The tight, hard, oval, sealed cocoon is yellow to bright green with a loose, whitish outer wrap. This is spun up in a cluster of leaves but is affixed to the nearest twig by a silk peduncle. The adult breaks out of this in late summer by softening and partially dissolving one end of the cocoon.

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. Starred items are successfully used by my father, Don Oehlke, in New Jersey.

Carya Castanea cremata Fagus Malus pumila Morus Prunus Pyrus malus Quercus acutissima..... Quercus dentata Quercus serrata Quercus robar

Hickory Japanese chestnut Beech Apple Mulberry Cherry Apple Oak Daimyo oak Konara oak English oak

Leroy Simon images:

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