Actias selene
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Indian Moon Moth |
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Actias selene, adult male
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Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
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Actias selene (Hübner, 1807) |
The Indian Moon Moth or Indian Luna Moth (Actias selene) is a species of moth. This species is popular among amateur entomologists and is often reared from eggs or cocoons that are available from commercial sources.
Contents |
[edit] Range
This incredible moth is quite widespread, found from India to Japan and then south into Nepal, Ceylon, Borneo, and other islands in eastern Asia. Many subspecies live in Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Philippines, Russia, China, Java, Sri Lanka, Sumatra and Borneo.
[edit] Life Cycle
Eggs are 2 mm, colored white with extensive black and brown mottling. Incubation lasts approximately two weeks and newly hatched larvae are red with a black abdominal saddle. Second instar larvae are all red with black heads. It is not until the third instar that larvae take on a green color. The developing larvae prefer humid conditions.
[edit] Egg
[edit] Larva
[edit] Pupa
[edit] Adult
[edit] Images of Life Cycle
First instar larvae reared on American Sweetgum |
Second instar larva undergoing apolysis |
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Fourth instar larva recently completing ecdysis |
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Adult male from the Western Ghats |
[edit] Videos
[edit] Host Plants
[edit] Trivia
In Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, an Indian Moon Moth serves as a messenger between Gwaihir and Gandalf.