Western Marbled Emperor Moth Caterpillar

African moths has photos of the adult moth and various acacia species are listed as food plants.

Western marbled emperor moth caterpillar. Males are attracted by the females pheromones scents. Four prominent flattened white or silver spines on each segment may be reduced or absent usually tipped with yellow sometimes tips are red with tufts of bristles. Western marbled emperor caterpillar we believe from kenya. As soon as the rainy season begins marbled emperor moths as well as the western marbled emperor moth heniocha dyops are out and about in their hundreds.

Clumsy flyer feather like antennae. Fynbos and woodlands found near residential dwelling. Since the western marbled emperor moth is the only member of the genus verified from kenya according to the world s largest saturniidae site we believe that to be the correct species identification for your caterpillar. Large moth of around 10cm wingspan.

That s what the mirror like spines are for to break up the light so the caterpillar can hide in the sparse acacia foliage. Saturniid caterpillar from panama. Great peacock moth caterpillar from france. Since the western marbled emperor moth is the only member of the genus verified from kenya according to the world s largest saturniidae site we believe that to be the correct species identification for your caterpillar.

Come december to february the next generation of adult western marbled emperors hatches after the first good rains and a new cycle begins. Up to 90mm long. The moth is large but not atypical in size of many other saturniidae moths. Hi duane this is either a western marbled emperor heniocha dyops or a closely related species.

Fine speckling of white or yellowish below and or above the lateral stripe. We will try checking with bill oehlke to verify our identification. African moths has photos of the adult moth and various acacia species are listed as food plants. Ants eats giant silkmoth caterpillar.

An almost fully grown caterpillar of the western marbled emperor on the species specific forage plant the black thorn. Moths and caterpillars are a protein rich food for countless animals. Since the western marbled emperor moth is the only member of the genus verified from kenya according to the world s largest saturniidae site we believe that to be the correct species identification for your caterpillar. According to kirby wolfe.

Ready to mate the males are constantly looking for the slightly larger females. African moths has photos of the adult moth and various acacia species are listed as food plants.