DISTRIBUTION:

Samia fulva (forewing length: males: 64-74mm; females: approx. 70mm) flies in the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. It is anticipated it will also be found in the Nicobar Islands.

In South Adaman it has been taken in the Mount Harriet National Park and from Chiriyatapu at elevations below 365m.

This species has a distinct deep cinnamon brown, almost rust ground colour. The postmedian bands are narrow black, white and pinkish purple, and they are almost straight above the crescent, with a slight curve below.

"Fulva" was chosen as the species name to reflect the colouration of the wings.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Larvae feed on Zanthoxylum rhetsa, Heteropanax fragrans and Picrasma javanica in the wild.

Limited collection data show this moth to be on the wing in July-August and September-October, but there are probably additional flights. Life cycle is usually completed within 46-62 days.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING: Females call in the night-flying males with an airbourne pheromone released from the tip of the abdomen. Samia fulva female, right.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

White eggs are deposited in large clusters of 30-75 eggs on the undersides of foliage. Eggs are stacked in tiers.

Larvae are gregarious for the first four instars, but become solitary for the fifth instar. The large numbers can defoliate host plants.

Mature larvae have a green skin and lack the white, waxy covering typical of many other members of this genus. Black specks cover the lime-green skin and there are orange dorsal scoli and blue lateral scoli.

Samia fulva fourth instar.

Samia fulva fifth instar.

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.

Heteropanax fragrans....... Picrasma javanica Zanthoxylum rhetsa

Kesseru Kho diep Indian Sichuan pepper

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