DISTRIBUTION:

Saturnia (Calosaturnia) walterorum, the diurnal Walters' Saturnia moth (wing span: 2 1/2 - 3 3/4 inches (6.4 - 9.4 cm)), flies in chaparral from sea level to 6400 feet from southern California south to Rosarita in Baja California Norte, Mexico.

Saturnia (Calosaturnia) walterorum female, February 28, 2004, ex ovum,
Rancho Penasquitos Canyon, San Diego County, California, courtesy of Harry D. King.

Visit Saturnia (Calosaturnia) walterorum male and female, courtesy of Ian Edwards.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There is one brood from late January to late May, sometimes even into June when weather is cool.

Larvae feed on Manzanita (Arctostaphylos), laurel-leaf sumac (Rhus laurina), and lemonade-berry (Rhus integrifolia).

Saturnia (Calosaturnia) walterorum female, courtesy/copyright Darrell Gulin.

Saturnia (Calosaturnia) walterorum pair, courtesy/copyright Darrell Gulin.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING: Adults emerge in early morning and fly during the day with matings common around 10:00 am. Pairing is sometimes very brief (five minutes) and seldom longer than an hour. To the right is heavily bodied female in typical resting pose. Early inexperience with this species reulting in my discarding of fertile eggs. I missed what must have been a very brief pairing mid morning, and then when the eggs still hadn't hatched after 28 days, I threw them away. I had sent some to a friend who informed me a week or so later the eggs had hatched and larvae were doing fine! Sumac works fine as a larval host out of this species' natural range.

The female is considerably larger than the male (photo male courtesy of Leroy Simon) whose entire forewings are of a darker hue.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Females lay oblong white eggs, which hatch in 11-30 days, singly or in small bunches on the host plants. The young caterpillars feed from the underside of host leaves. Middle instar photo courtesy of Peter J. Bryant

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Larvae (Leroy Simon photo) pass through four-five instars and turn bright orange or pink prior to spinning. Eclosions can be successfully delayed by keeping cocoons dry and around 50-55 F from fall spinning time until desired eclosion time.

Loosely-woven mesh-like cocoons are spun on the host plant or at the base of a larval sleeve. Moths emerge as early as nine days out of cocoon cold-storage. Sumac serves as a good alternate food in regions where manzita does not grow. Cocoon photo by Dan MacKinnon.

Visit Saturnia (Calosaturnia) walterorum first, second, third and fifth instars, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

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.

Arbutus unedo Arctostaphylos Rhus integrifolia Rhus larina Rhus trilobata Rhus typhina Schinus terebinthifolius.....

Strawberry madrone Manzanita Mahogany sumac / Lemonade-berry Laurel sumac Skunk-brush Staghorn sumac Brazil peppertree

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Saturnia (Calosaturnia) walterorum male, copyright protected, courtesy of Thibaud Decaens.

Saturnia (Calosaturnia) walterorum female, copyright protected, courtesy of Thibaud Decaens.