Hemileuca electra

Wright, 1884

electra buckmoth

Species Guides

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Hemileuca electra, the electra buckmoth, is a of buck moth in the Saturniidae. It is found in Central America and North America. The species was described by W. G. Wright in 1884. Three are recognized: H. e. clio, H. e. electra, and H. e. mojavensis. Like other Hemileuca species, it is a day-flying with larvae that possess urticating spines.

Hemileuca electra 6572977 by Ken-ichi Ueda. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.Hemileuca electra rubra 55118406 by Dan Horowitz. Used under a CC0 license.Hemileuca electra 10849197 by Millie Basden. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Hemileuca electra: /hɛmiˈlɛʊkə ɪˈlɛk.trə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

As a member of the Hemileuca, are day-flying and may be mistaken for butterflies. Specific identification features for H. electra are not documented in available sources. The shows geographic variation in appearance, as evidenced by documented variation in blends across in southern California.

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Distribution

Central America and North America. The H. e. mojavensis occurs in the Mojave Desert region.

Diet

Larvae feed on plants. Specific plants for H. electra are not documented in available sources, though other Hemileuca are associated with oaks and other woody plants.

Life Cycle

Complete with , larval, pupal, and stages. Specific details for H. electra are not documented. Related Hemileuca have larvae with urticating spines and adults that do not feed, living only a few days on fat reserves accumulated as larvae.

Behavior

are day-flying. Males use their sensitive to detect female . Females typically remain near their site and emit -specific sexual attractant to draw males.

Human Relevance

Like other Hemileuca , larvae possess urticating spines that can cause painful stings upon contact. The species has been studied for geographic variation in its chemistry.

Similar Taxa

  • Hemileuca nevadensisAnother buck moth with similar day-flying and larval urticating spines; occurs in prairie and has been documented to suffer mortality from prescribed burning
  • Hemileuca eglanterinaClosely related sheep moth with similar appearance and ; highly variable in coloration across its range

More Details

Sex pheromone variation

Studies have documented geographic variation in the blend of H. electra in southern California, suggesting potential for cryptic speciation or strong local .

Subspecies

Three are recognized: Hemileuca electra clio Barnes & McDunnough, 1918; Hemileuca electra electra W. G. Wright, 1884; and Hemileuca electra mojavensis Tuskes and McElfresh, 1995.

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Sources and further reading