DISTRIBUTION:

Rhodinia newara (wingspan 110-120mm) flies in
Nepal: November-December;
Bangladesh;
northern Vietnam;
extreme northern India: Sikkim, Assam;
Bhutan: late October-November;
Burma = Myanmar;
northern Thailand;
and southern China: Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangxi, Ghizhou, Guangdong and Hunan.

Visit Rhodinia newara male, female, third instar and cocoons, China, courtesy of Anatolij Kulak.

Rhodinia newara male

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Larvae feed upon Acer saccharum, Crataegus, Juglans regia, Salix babylonica and Salix elegans.

This species flies in the fall from late October into December.

Rhodinia newara, Vietnam, courtesy of Victor Sinyaev of Russia, via Yuri Berezhnoi

The above image was sent as Rhodinia rudloffi, which may be correct, but I believe they are Rhodinia newara.

Rhodinia newara female on cocoon, courtesy of Martin Jagelka

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING: Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen to emit an airbourne pheromone into the night sky. Males fly into the wind, pick up the scent with their sophisticated antennae and track the female. Females also have less falcate, more rounded upper wings. Rhodinia newara pair courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Rhodinia newara, second male

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Visit Rhodinia newara, eggs and all instars, courtesy of Alan Marson.

Alan Marson writes, "The Rhodinias are strange. They whizz through the early instars - then seem to take an age in the 5th instar....and then, when they spin up, they seem to take an eternity to finally pupate. I have some R. newara at the moment doing the same thing. With these species they also emerge very late in the fall/autumn. Then they seems to be flexible. If it is still mild, they fly and pair at night. If it is cold, they fly and pair in the daytime - especially if they are warmed by autumn sunshine. Often its well into November when they emerge."

Larvae spin a fascinating cocoon.

Rhodinia newara third instar larva, China, courtesy of Anatolij Kulak copyright.

Rhodinia newara fifth instar larva, China, courtesy of Anatolij Kulak copyright.

Rhodinia newara larva and cocoon, courtesy of Martin Jagelka copyright.

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.

Acer saccharum Crataegus Juglans regia Prunus padus (FR) Salix babylonica..... Salix elegans

Sugar maple Hawthorn English walnut European Bird Cerry Weeping willow Willow

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On my computer only, Rhodinia notes, Brechlin 2007.

On my home computer only: notes on Saturniidae of Bhutan by Ronald Brechlin (in English) as published in Entomo-Satsphingia 2 (1): 47 – 55 (March 2009)

The actual hardcopy editions of Entomo-Satsphingia may be purchased via the link to the left.