DISTRIBUTION:

The Reddish Prince, Ludia orinoptena (wingspan: males: approximately 50mm; females: 57mm), flies in Buea in
southwestern Cameroon and in
Zambia (possibly as a subspecies), Africa. Julius Busingye also reports it from
Uganda, possibly as a subspecies. Philippe Darge reports it in
Franceville, Gabon. Sebastian Brandner reports it in
Elone, (Sud Province) Cameroon.
Thierry Bouyer confirms it for
Tanzania,
Rwanda: Nyungwe,
Democratic Republic of the Congo and
Kenya: Kakamega Forest, and where Pinhey reports it in Kitale and the Aberdare Mountains in western Kenya. I suspect it also flies in People's Republic of the Congo and
Republic of Central Africa (confirmed by BOLD). BOLD Systems also confirms it in
Malawi.

Ludia orinoptena, male, October 20, 2006, wingspan 51mm,
Elone, Cameroon, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, id by Thierry Bouyer.

Ludia orinoptena, male (verso), October 20, 2006, wingspan 51mm,
Elone, Cameroon, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, id by Thierry Bouyer.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There is a february flight in Kenya. Philippe Darge reports a female taken in October in Franceville, Gabon. It has also been taken in Cameroon in October.

Ludia orinoptena larvae feed on Coleus, Lactuca, Mikania, Ocimum and Vernonia. It has also been reported on Gynura and Ocimum Mikania et al.

Ludia orinoptena male, Cameroon, courtesy of Eric van Schayck, id by Thierry Bouyer.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

These moths are relatively small and day-flying males have falcate forewings. The somewhat larger females call during the day, but oviposit at night. Their forewings are slightly produced at the apex but are not falcate.

Ludia obscura/orinoptena female, Cameroon,
courtesy of Kelly Price, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Ludia orinoptena female, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, id by Thierry Bouyer

Ludia orinoptena female, courtesy of Sebastian Brandner, id by Thierry Bouyer

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE AND COCOONS:

Eggs are deposited in single rows of 4-8 on the undersides of foliage.

Larvae, developing to 6cm., are solitary through all stages and curl up, exposing urticating spines, when disturbed. Larvae descend the host plant at pupation time and spin up a thin cocoon at the base of hostplants

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae or on various internet sites. 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.

Blumea alata Bothriocline longipes Bothriocline tomentosa.......... Coleus barbatus Coleus blumei Cynara Gynura Hoslundia Lactuca Laggera alata Mikania Ocimum Plectranthus forskohlii Solenostemon blumei Tetradenia multiflora Vernonia

Blumea alata Bothriocline longipes Bothriocline tomentosa Flame nettle Painted nettle Cynara Gynura Hoslundia Lettuce Laggera alata Mile-a-minute-weed Basil Plectranthus forskohlii Solenostemon blumei Tetradenia multiflora Ironweed

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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.

"Ludia" is from the Latin word for player and may have been chosen for the erratic (playful), daytime flight of the males.

The species name "orinoptena" is from the Greek and means "fluttering wings" (Pinhey).