Rothschildia chiris
Updated as per Heppner's Checklist: Part 4B 1996, January 1, 2005
Updated as per Lemaire's Attacidae 1978, January 1, 2006
Updated as per personal communication with Lars Andersen (Taipiplaya, La Paz, Bolivia, 810m, January-February 2007); January 12, 2013

Rothschildia chiris chuquisaciana
roths-CHILD-ee-uhMCHEER-ihs
Rothschild, 1907

Rothschildia chiris male, Cochabamba, Bolivia,
wingspan: 137mm, courtesy of Kelly Price.

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Tribe: Attacini, Blanchard, 1840
Genus: Rothschildia, Grote, 1896

MIDI MUSIC

"Girl from Ipanema"
 midi by Mel Webb

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DISTRIBUTION:

Rothschildia chiris chuquisaciana (wingspan: males: 122-137mm; females: // Mfwl: 72-73mm; Ffwl: 75mm) is known from
Bolivia: Chuquisaca; Cochabamba; at elevations of 2400-2600m.

Rothschildia chiris chuquisaciana male, Cochabamba, Bolivia,
wingspan: 148mm, courtesy of Kelly Price.

Rothschildia chiris chiris/chiris chuquisaciana?? female, Cochabamba, Bolivia,
wingspan: 122mm, courtesy of Kelly Price.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Cherry is probably the prefered hostplant for captive rearing.

Rothschildia chiris chiris/chiris chuquisaciana?? female, Bolivia, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae probably do best on Prunus. They also probably take Ailanthus quite readily but grow slowly on privet.

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.

Ailanthus altissima.....
Ligustrum
Prunus

Ailanthus
Privet
Cherry

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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.

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

"Rothschildia" is chosen to honour one of the Rothschilds, possibly William.

I do not know the reason for the species name, chiris. The subspecies name chuquisaciana is indicative of a pecimen type locale in Chuquisaca, Bolivia.