Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) wahlbergii
nood-aur-REEL-ee-uhmmWALL-berg-ee-eye
(Boisduval, 1847) (Saturnia)

Nudaurelia wahlbergii, courtesy of Jacolene van der Vyver.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Tribe: Bunaeini, Packard, 1902 Genus: Imbrasia, Hübner, [1819] 1816

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DISTRIBUTION:

Wahlberg's Emperor, Nudaurelia wahlbergii (wingspan: 85-120mm), flies in Africa:
Zimbabwe,
Malawi,
Tanzania,
Swaziland: Motshane (JT),
South Africa and
probably ?? in Mozambique.

Visit Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) wahlbergii male, Hilton, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, January 20, 2012, courtesy of Sue Bentley.

Nudaurelia wahlbergii male, South Africa, courtesy of Rainer Plontke.

Eric van Schayck reports it from
Kenya (possibly subspecies N. w. callophthalma).

It is frequently listed as Imbrasia wahlbergii.

N. wahlbergii and Kenyan subspecies callophthalma have a double outer line on both wings and are reddish. (Rolf Oberprieler).

Nudaurelia wahlbergii female, South Africa, courtesy of Rainer Plontke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Nudaurelia wahlbergii has peak flights in South Africa from September to November and again in January-February. There may be more than two broods.

Larvae feed on Psidium, Mangifera indica, Ricinus communis, Trema bracteolata, Schinus, Quercus, Maerua, Prunus persica, Mangifera, Psidium guajava.

Mark Lasko reports success rearing them on Liquidambar styraciflua.

Rainer Plontke reports success rearing them on Salix.

Nudaurelia walbergii pair, male 110mm; female 115mm, courtesy of Johnny Marchant, id confirmed by Thierry Bouyer.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Eclosion is from underground pupae.

Both sexes fly at night with the males coming in to lights around midnight, the scenting time of the females.

Nudaurelia wahlbergii female, South Africa,
November 11, 2004, courtesy of Mike Buczkowski

Nudaurelia wahlbergii female (verso), South Africa,
November 11, 2004, courtesy of Mike Buczkowski

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Creamy-yellow, oval eggs are deposited in cluster of 20-50 on foliage and twigs. Incubation can take as many as twenty-four days.

Larvae continue gregarious feeding habit until maturity at 90 cm.

Larvae pupate under soil near base of trees.

Nudaurelia wahlbergii hatchlings, courtesy of Mark Lasko.

Nudaurelia wahlbergii first instars on sweetgum, courtesy of Mark Lasko.

Nudaurelia wahlbergii second instars on sweetgum, courtesy of Mark Lasko.

Nudaurelia wahlbergii third instars on sweetgum, courtesy of Mark Lasko.

Nudaurelia wahlbergii fourth instars on sweetgum, courtesy of Mark Lasko.

Nudaurelia wahlbergii fourth instars on willow, South Africa, courtesy of Rainer Plontke.
Larvae can show considerable variation.

Nudaurelia wahlbergii final instars on sweetgum, courtesy of Mark Lasko.

Nudaurelia wahlbergii final instars on sweetgum, courtesy of Mark Lasko.

Nudaurelia wahlbergii final instars "digging in", courtesy of Mark Lasko.

Nuduarelia wahlbergii fifth instar on Halleria lucida, Motshane, Swaziland,
May 1, 2013, courtesy of Jacqui Taft, via Daniel Marlos of What's That Bug?,
id by Bill Oehlke.

Nuduarelia wahlbergii fifth instar on Halleria lucida, Motshane, Swaziland,
May 1, 2013, courtesy of Jacqui Taft, via Daniel Marlos of What's That Bug?,
id by Bill Oehlke.

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.

Halleria lucida (JT) Liquidambar styraciflua ML ....... Maerua Mangifera indica Prunus persica Psidium guajava Quercus Ricinus communis Salix Schinus Trema bracteolata

Tree Fuchsia, umBinza or Notsung Sweetgum Maerua Mango Peach Common guava Oak Castor-oil bean Willow Peppertree Trema bracteolata

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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

Some of the early describers/namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or history.

Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour a contempory friend/collector/etc.

The genus name Nudaurelia means 'naked gold' (Pinhey).

The species name "wahlbergii", is honourific for Johann August Wahlberg, a Swedish gentleman who spent some time in South and Southeast Africa. (Pinhey).

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