Melanocera menippe
meh-leh-noss-SER-uhMmuh-NIP-ee
(Westwood, 1849) (Saturnia)

Melanocera menippe courtesy of Leroy Simon.

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 Melanocera, Sonthannax, 1901

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DISTRIBUTION:

The Chestnut Emperor Moth, Melanocera menippe (wingspan 110-130 mm), flies in Natal, South Africa: Natal; Mozambique; Kenya; coastal eastern Africa; and probably Tanzania.

Thierry Bouyer, 1999, indicates habenichti Wichgraf, 1911 is same as menippe and transiens Wichgraf, 1911 is same as menippe.

The genus name, Melanocera, comes from the relatively large black (melano) antennae (cera=horn) that these moths possess.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

In South Africa moths are on August-November and again in January. Peak flight seems to be September-early October.

Melanocera menippe larvae feed on Fig (Ficus cordata) Bird's Eye Bush (Ochna atropupurea), Natal Plane (Ochna natalita), Bird's Eye Bush/Mickey Mouse Plant, (Ochna serrulata), Kanchan (Bauhinia), (Acacia mearnsi), Sickle Bush (Dichrostachys cinerea), Broad-leaf Silver Cluster-leaf (Terminalia sericea), and Oak (Quercus).

ECLOSION:

Moths emerge from pupae in subterranean chambers excavated by the larvae.

There can be considerable colour variation as evidenced in this Leroy Simon image.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Melanocera menippe (female), South Africa, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larva feed on oak.

Melanocera menippe fifth instar, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

At maturity the caterpillar will descend the hostplant stems or trunk and dig an underground chamber in which to pupate.

Melanocera menippe pupae, Kenya,
courtesy of Jurgen van Houdt

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.

Acacia mearnsii Bauhinia Dichrostachys cinerea Ficus cordata Ochna atropupurea Ochna natalita Ochna schweinfurthiana....... Ochna serrulata Quercus Terminalia sericea

Black wattle Kanchan Sickle Bush Fig Bird's Eye Bush Natal Plane Ochna schweinfurthiana Bird's Eye Bush/Mickey Mouse Plant Oak Broad-leaf Silver Cluster-leaf

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