DISTRIBUTION:

Single-brooded clio (wingspan: males: 51-59mm; females: 52-58mm), flies in Arizona. This subspecies is characterized by dense black scaling on all dorsal wing surfaces.

Hemileuca electra clio habitat, Hwy 87, near Payson,
Maricopa county, Arizona, courtesy of Russell Witkop.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Electra clio fly from late September to mid October. The preferred foodplant is flat top buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum).

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Eclosions take place in the morning and females call from 9:00 am until 10:00 am. Pairing with the slightly smaller males is very brief (10 - 40 minutes) and females make their ovipositing flights from 3:00 to 6:00 pm.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Grey-blue eggs are laid in rings of 25-35 eggs/ring on dead flower heads or plant stems.

Larvae emerge, triggered by winter rains, from February to March and thus avoid the dry seasons of late summer and early fall. In the early instars, larvae are black and gregarious, but become more colourful in the final stage. In the fifth and final instar, larvae are grey with black spines and three yellowish-white lateral lines. They frequently strip the new growth from plant stems making them easy to find. Image courtesy of Jim Tuttle.

Pupation is in a shallow underground chamber or under loose debris.

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.

Bursera microphylla Eriogonum fasciculatum..... Idria columnaris Simmondsia chinensis Tamarix gallica

Elephant tree California buckwheat Boojum Jojoba French tamarisk

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