DISTRIBUTION:

The Scalloped Emperor, Bunaeopsis hersilia, flies in
Zimbabwe (something else) and probably north to
Chad (something else) and west to
Republic of Central Africa (FD) (something else);
Cameroon (something else).

SCI reports it as far west as Ivory Coast (something else): Korhogo (August).

May 17, 2012, Thierry Bouyer writes, "B. hersilia doesn't exist in Benin (it is a very local species that occurs in Northern Angola, extreme West of RDC and RP Congo)."

I regard Thierry's comments as correct, so the specimen reports on this page, other than the one supplied by Heinz Rothacher, are something other than B. hersilia. I believe true hersilia have very large ocelli and extensive speckling as per Heinz Rothacher image below.

Bunaeopsis hersilia (confirmed by Thierry Bouyer, May 2005),
Democratic Republic of the Congo, courtesy of Heinz Rothacher.

Bunaeopsis hersilia pagei was first described by Rougeot from Chad. There is considerable variation among all the specimens on this page so there may be several subspecies or even misidentified species.

The am line seems distinctive and is strongly lobed in the center toward the outer margin. The hindwing median area is very red with some bleeding into the basal area.

Pinhey shows an image of an orangey-yellow Bunaeopsis hersilia rendalliana. It also shows the lobed am line and red hw median area. Thierry Bouyer classifies rendalliana Gaede, 1927, as Incertae sedis. Thierry also indicates many other names within this genus are Incertae sedis.

Bunaeopsis hersilia rendalliana, from Pinhey, on my home computer only.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are records of an August flight in Ivory Coast (SCI) [This must be another species]. There may be more than one annual flight.

Bunaeopsis hersilia larvae feed on Bamboo, Bequaertiodendron, Chrysophyllum, Hyparrhenia contracta, Irvingia and Pennisetum.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Bunaeopsis hersilia males are active at night and come in to lights. Females have not been collected, but it is expected they scent at night and have a very strong ovipositing urge.

Bunaeopsis hersilia courtesy of Frans Desmet,
Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Bunaeopsis hersilia larvae feed on Bamboo, Bequaertiodendron, Chrysophyllum, Hyparrhenia contracta, Irvingia and Pennisetum.

Mature larvae excavate subterranean chambers in which they pupate.

Listed below are the primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae. 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.

Bamboo Bequaertiodendron Chrysophyllum Hyparrhenia contracta..... Irvingia Pennisetum

Bamboo Fluted milkweed Goldenleaf Thatching grass Wild mango Elephant grass

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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 genus name Bunaeopsis, indicates a similarity ('opsis' = looks like) to the Bunaea genus. That name is from the Greek and refers to a lobed hill-dweller.

The species name hersilia comes from Hersilia, the wife of Romulus who is the founder of Rome in Roman mythology.