Rothschildia lebeau - Hodges#7761
Rothschildia lebeau
This record describes Rothschildia lebeau (species). Recorded family: Saturniidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Very large silk moth found only in South Texas. Transparent triangular spots on the wings. Wings reddish brown to dark brown with olive tinge. Two other species in this genus rarely enter into s. Texas: Jorulla silkmoth ( R. jorulla ) and Orizaba silkmoth ( R. orizaba ) R. cincta was recorded from the Brownsville area ca. 1900. NOTE: Records for Rothschildia jorulla/cincta in s. TX are based on the same taxon (i.e. listed as R. jorulla cincta )
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Bombycoidea
- Family
- Saturniidae (Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths)
- Subfamily
- Saturniinae
- Tribe
- Attacini
- Genus
- Rothschildia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Hidalgo & Cameron Co., TX / Mex. - Map (MPG); Fairly common, especially around Brownsville.
Seasonal Activity
February-April, September-November (two flights in Texas)
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Larvae feed on several trees/shrubs, such as Ash ( Fraxinus ), prickly ash ( Zanthoxylum ), and willow ( Salix ). Adults may take two or three years before emerging from the pupa.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Rothschildia lebeau forbesi Benjamin, 1934, formerly treated as full species in the 1983 Hodges Checklist following Ferguson (1972), is returned to subspecies status by Tuskes et al. (1996) following Lemaire (1978). All other subspecies of lebeau are found south of the United States.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Rothschildia lebeau. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Rothschildia lebeau - Hodges#7761 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Cotinis; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Beatriz Moisset , anitagould , Mike Quinn , Maury Heiman , Bill Reynolds
Frequently Asked Questions About Rothschildia lebeau - Hodges#7761
What is Rothschildia lebeau - Hodges#7761?
Rothschildia lebeau - Hodges#7761 (Rothschildia lebeau) is a species in the family Saturniidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Rothschildia lebeau - Hodges#7761?
Wingspan 10-12.5 cm
How do you identify Rothschildia lebeau - Hodges#7761?
Very large silk moth found only in South Texas. Transparent triangular spots on the wings. Wings reddish brown to dark brown with olive tinge.
Where is Rothschildia lebeau - Hodges#7761 found?
Range: Hidalgo & Cameron Co., TX / Mex. - Map (MPG); Fairly common, especially around Brownsville.
When is Rothschildia lebeau - Hodges#7761 active?
Rothschildia lebeau - Hodges#7761: seasonal activity - February-April, September-November (two flights in Texas).
What is the life cycle of a Rothschildia lebeau - Hodges#7761?
Larvae feed on several trees/shrubs, such as Ash ( Fraxinus ), prickly ash ( Zanthoxylum ), and willow ( Salix ). Adults may take two or three years before emerging from the pupa.