DISTRIBUTION:

Wang's Silk Moth, Samia wangi (forewing length: males: 59-70mm; females: 70-82mm) (wingspan: 120-130mm), flies
throughout southeastern China: Guangdong;
Taiwan: Yangmingshan National Park, Taipei; and in
northern Vietnam. Roger Kendrick has sent a beautiful image of a female from Hong Kong.

Samia wangi female, Tai Po Kau, Tai Po, Hong Kong,
June 22, 2008, courtesy of Roger Kendrick.

Samia wangi male, courtesy of Wayne Hsu; id by Stefan Naumann
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/1803

Moths have also been taken Kinmen Island, Matsu Island, Guisando Islet and in Hong Kong. The moth seems to favour mountains and foothills.

Samia wangi male, Taiwan, courtesy of Wayne Hsu.

The postmedial line is composed of four strongly marked (distinct) bands of black, white, rose and lavender.

The forewing crescents are only slightly curved. Basic ground colour is olive green. The moth is named to honour Hsiau Yue Wang of the Taiwan Provincial Museum.

Samia wangi male, Hainan, China,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck, id by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

The species probably broods continuously but there are definite, seasonal peaks: March-April and September. Moths have also been taken in May-June-July and in October-November. GNNNR indicates an August flight in Guangdong, China.

Larvae are assumed to feed on citrus and on Firmiana platanifolia and Michelia figo. Confirmed hosts include Ailanthus altissima, Cinnamomum camphora, Euscaphis japonica, Glochidion hongkongense, Ilex asprella, Lantana, Lindera megaphylla, Michela alba, Sapindus mukorissii, Triadica cochinchinensis, Triadica sebifera and Zanthoxylum piperitum.

Vu Van Lien reports them on Fraxinus chinensis in northern Vietnam.

Samia wangi (male), Sichuan, China, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.
http://www.saturniidae-mundi.de/Oschayck/schayck.htm

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

The female begins scenting after dark by projecting a scent gland from the posterior tip of her abdomen. Males fly into the breeze and hone in on the pheromone plume via their highly developed and sensitive antennae.

Samia wangi female, Taiwan, courtesy of Wayne Hsu.

Samia wangi female, Tam Dao, Vihn Phuc, Vietnam, 900m, courtesy of Vu Van Lien, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Three Samia species are known from northern Vietnam: canningi, Kohlli and wangi. Often examination of genitalia is necessary to make an accurate determination.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited on host foliage with incubation requiring eight to ten days.

Samia wangi fifth instar, Tam Dao, Vihn Phuc, Vietnam, 900m, courtesy of Vu Van Lien, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Samia wangi cocoon, Tam Dao, Vihn Phuc, Vietnam, 900m, courtesy of Vu Van Lien, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

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 Cinnamomum camphora Citrus Euscaphis japonica Firmiana platanifolia Fraxinus chinensis (VVL) Glochidion hongkongense Ilex asprella Lantana Lindera megaphylla Michela alba Michelia figo Rhamnus formosana Sapindus mukorissii Triadica cochinchinensis....... Triadica sebifera Zanthoxylum piperitum

Ailanthus Camphora Citrus Korean sweetheart tree Parasol tree Chinese ash Hong Kong abacus plant Holly Lantana Spice Bush White jade orchid tree Bananashrub Rhamnus formosana Soapberry Triadica cochinchinensis Chinese Tallow Tree Japanese pepper tree

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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.

"Samia" the daughter of Meander, married Ancaeus 2, the king of Samos, and had several children by him."

The species name "wangi" is honourific for Hsiau Yue Wang of the Taiwan Provincial Museum.