Santa Clarita and Northern Los Angeles County Area
Butterfly and Moth Site

White-Streaked Silkmoth [Saturnia albofasciata] Adult Insect Images

This image of a freshly caught female was shot 10-27-2005. Shortly before this image was taken, she had laid 3 eggs. Note the small branch of Ceanothus greggii.

This is the female eclosure sequence from 12-7-2005 (pupa #1). Details can be found on the [Rearing] page.

Here is the female eclosure sequence from 12-8-2005 (pupa #2). Details can be found on the [Rearing] page.

These are various shots of emerging and live adults in 2006...

These are various shots of adults mating in 2006...

See these mating videos on YouTube:

Here is a great video showing a male homing in on a scenting female, being captured, and then hand paired to the female later. Great close-up video by Clark Thompson of Insectnet.com.

Shown below are various images of adults collected, reared, baited and mated in 2006...

In late October, 2006, these three females came to mercury vapor lights in the Juniper Hills area, southeast of Palmdale, CA. just after dusk. Some were in better shape than others, and a total of about 70 eggs were collected.

These females were raised from the eggs of a single female, which was taken in the San Jacinto Mts. in November of 2005. They all emerged in late October of 2006 and were mated (4 were hand-paired) with wild males from the Juniper Hills area. Immediately after mating, as dusk approached, each was placed in a large paper grocery bag (sharp/rough edges inside taped down) and with no host cuttings or other objects inside. After about 1-2 hours in the bag most had laid all their eggs, averaging about 80 each. One female oviposited an amazing 101 eggs!

These males were baited and netted in the Juniper Hills area in late October, 2006. Several of these were the ones which were mated/hand-paired with the San Jacinto females shown above.

Most of these males were raised from the eggs of the same 2005 San Jacinto female noted above, and emerged in late October 2006 as well. To avoid inbreeding, none of these males were mated with their female siblings above. Note the darker markings as compared to the Juniper Hills area specimens.

The male below was captured on the wing on 10/24/2005 - not an easy feat considering their fast rapid flight through shadowy, rugged terrain. The female was captured 7 days later at an 8w UV light sheet. She was in very good/fresh condition but only laid 9 eggs over the next 2 days. After a few days of egg-laying, she had managed to damage herself a bit, in spite of being constrained. Shortly after laying her last eggs, she died of old age (typical lifespan of adult female = about 1 week!) and was mounted.

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