DISTRIBUTON:

The Hemileuca lex moth (wingspan: males: 44-46mm; females: 62mm) flies in the mountains of Chihuahua, Durango, San Luis Potosi, Queretaro, Hidalgo, Distrito Federal, Morelos and Puebla, Mexico at elevations around 2000m.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing January, March-April, June and December, probably as two or three broods annually.

Larvae feed on leguminous plants. Eriogonum wrightii, Fagus, Quercus arizonica and Robinia pseudoacacia are reported hosts.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Eclosions probably take place in the morning with females calling at night.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are laid in rings of 25-35 eggs/ring.

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

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are 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.

Eriogonum wrightii Fagus Quercus arizonica Robinia pseudoacacia.......

Wright wildbuckwheat Beech Arizona white oak Blacklocust/false acacia

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