DISTRIBUTION:

Neumoegen's buckmoth, Hemileuca neumoegeni (wingspan: males: 45-55mm; females: 58-64mm), flies in desert scrub in southeastern California, southern Nevada, northern Arizona, southwestern and eastern Utah, and western Colorado.

"Identification: Abdomen is mostly red and the upperside of wings is pearly white. Forewing has black zigzag submarginal and submedian lines, and a crescent-shaped cell spot. The submedian line may have a small oval spot bisecting it. Hindwing has a pale submarginal line and a small spot. "

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This species flies from August-October.

Squawbush (Rhus trilobata), desert almond (Prunus fasciculata), and Apache plume (Falluga paradoxa) are the primary larval hosts.

Hemileuca neumoegeni. Photo by William A. Harding.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Adults emerge in late morning and mate after dark.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Females lay eggs in rings around host plant stems, and the eggs overwinter and hatch in April. Young caterpillars feed gregariously while older ones feed alone. Older caterpillars hide during the day at the base of the plant and feed at night. Cocoons are spun in plant debris or in loose soil.

Hemileuca neumoegeni on desert almond, Prunus fasciculatum, (image rotated)
McCullough Mountains near Searchlight, Nevada, May 25, 2004, courtesy of Dave Wikle.

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.

Rhus trilobata Prunus fasciculata....... Falluga paradoxa

Squawbush Desert almond Apache plume

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