DISTRIBUTION:

Single-brooded, nominate electra (wingspan: males: 40-54mm; females: 52-62mm), flies in coastal scrub near sea level (rarely above 1800 feet) from the Los Angeles Basin, California, to Baja California Norte, Mexico.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Electra fly from July through December with most specimens taken in October and November. Chris Conlan, via Russell Witkop, reports them in larval stage in Jacumba, (San Diego County) California, in late February - early March, 2004.

The preferred foodplant is flat top buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum).

Hemileuca electra (male), USA, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Hemileuca electra male, Lake Hodges, San Diego Co., California,
49mm, September 13, 1990, courtesy/copyright Charles Bordelon and Ed Knudson.

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 2:00 to 5:00 pm.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Light green eggs are laid in rings of 40-80 eggs/ring on dead flower heads or plant stems.

Larvae emerge, triggered by winter rains, from January 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. Pupation is in a shallow underground chamber or under loose debris.

Leroy Simon photo.

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

Photos by Leroy Simon.

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