Like moths to a flame, some people are irresistibly drawn to the woods at night. Carrying bedsheets and armed with special lights and lures, they come seeking moths. In July 2012, in 49 states and numerous countries across the world, scientists and ordinary folk alike fanned out to get a closer look at these insects. They may be less gaudy than their butterfly cousins, yet they’re anything but ordinary.
Listen to this podcastLike moths to a flame, some people are irresistibly drawn to the woods at night. Carrying bedsheets and armed with special lights and lures, they come seeking moths. In July 2012, in 49 states and numerous countries across the world, scientists and ordinary folk alike fanned out to get a closer look at these insects. They may be less gaudy than their butterfly cousins, yet they’re anything but ordinary.
Automeris io, the Io moth (EYE-oh) or peacock moth, is a colorful North American moth in the family Saturniidae.[5][6] The Io moth is also a member of the subfamily Hemileucinae.[7] The name Io comes from Greek mythology in which Io was a mortal lover of Zeus.[8] The Io moth ranges from the southeast corner of Manitoba and in the southern extremes of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in Canada, and in the US it is found from Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, east of those states and down to the southern end of Florida.[9] The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775.
Imagines (sexually mature, reproductive stage) have a wingspan of 2.5–3.5 inches (63–88 mm).[7][9] This species is sexually dimorphic: males have bright yellow forewings, body, and legs, while females have reddish-brown to purple forewings, body, and legs.[4][10] The males also have much bigger plumose (feathery) antennae than the females.[4] Both males and females have one big black to bluish eyespot with some white in the center, on each hindwing.[10][11][12] Some hybridizations have resulted in variations in these hindwing eyespots.[11][12] Adults live 1–2 weeks.
Many species of flies (Tachinidae) and wasps (Ichneumonidae and Braconidae) are known parasitoids.[4] The flies include the introduced Compsilura concinnata, Lespesia sabroskyi, Chetogena claripennis, Carcelia formosa, Sisyropa eudryae, Lespesia frenchii, and Nilea dimmocki.[13] The wasps include the Ichneumonidae species Hyposoter fugitivus and Enicospilus americanus,[4] and the Braconidae species Cotesia electrae and Cotesia hemileucae.[4]
Io moths have many predators. These include birds, small mammals, and spiders.[4][10]
Stinging spines of caterpillar Io moths have a very painful venom that is released with the slightest touch. There are two hypotheses regarding where this venom originates: (1) the glandular cells on the base of the branched seta or (2) from the secretory epithelial cells.[14] Contacting the seta is not life-threatening for humans, but still causes irritation to the dermal tissue, resulting in an acute dermatitis called erucism.[15][16] Both male and female adult io moths utilize their hindwing eyespots in predatory defense when the moth is sitting in the head-down position or is touched, via shaking and exposing these eyespots.[11][12][10]
Females lay small, white ova in the leaves of host plants, including:
The eggs have large micropyle rosettes that turn black as the fertile eggs develop. They are usually laid in clusters of more than twenty and hatch within 8–11 days.[4][10] From the eggs, orange larvae emerge, usually eating their egg shell soon after hatching.[4] They go through five instars, each one being a little different.
The caterpillars are herbivorous and gregarious in all their instars, and may be seen traveling in single-file processions over the food plant.[10][19][7] As the larvae develop, they will lose their orange color and will turn bright green and urticating, having many spines. The green caterpillars have two lateral stripes, the upper one being bright red and the lower one being white. These caterpillars can reach sizes of 7 cm in length.[20] When the caterpillars are ready, they spin a flimsy, valveless cocoon made from a dark, coarse silk. Some larvae will crawl to the base of the tree and make their cocoons among leaf litter on the ground, while others will use living leaves to wrap their cocoons with.[4][7] The leaves will turn brown and fall to the ground during fall, taking the cocoons with them.[4][7] There they pupate, the pupa being dark brown/black.[4] The pupae also have sexual dimorphism with the females' possessing a notch on their posterior ventral aspect, while the males' pupae bear a pair of tubercles near that area with no notch.[4]
Adult Io moths normally emerge from their cocoons in late morning or early afternoon. The emergence of the adults moths is typically from June to July.[21] Eclosion (emergence from the cocoon) only takes a few minutes.[19] After eclosing, the moths climb and hang on plants so that their furled wings can be inflated with fluid (hemolymph) pumped from the body. This inflation process takes about twenty minutes. Adult moths are strictly nocturnal, generally flying during the peak hours of the night.[21] The females generally wait until nightfall and then extend a scent gland from the posterior region of the abdomen, in order to attract males via wind-borne pheromones.[4] The males use their larger antennae to detect the pheromones. After mating, the females die following egg laying. These moths have vestigial mouthparts and do not eat in the adult stage.[8][10]
The Io moth has not been evaluated for listing on the IUCN Red List and has no special status on the U.S. Federal List.[19] In the eastern range of the US, the populations indicate a declining and more localized trend.[22][19]
Automeris io, the Io moth (EYE-oh) or peacock moth, is a colorful North American moth in the family Saturniidae. The Io moth is also a member of the subfamily Hemileucinae. The name Io comes from Greek mythology in which Io was a mortal lover of Zeus. The Io moth ranges from the southeast corner of Manitoba and in the southern extremes of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in Canada, and in the US it is found from Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, east of those states and down to the southern end of Florida. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775.
La mariposa io (Automeris io) es un lepidóptero nocturno perteneciente a la familia de los satúrnidos. Esta especie es miembro de las llamadas polillas ojos de venado.[2]
Posee colores muy llamativos pero que varían según la región. Tiene una longitud aproximada de 5,5 a 7,5 centímetros. Presenta dimorfismo sexual. El macho tiene las alas anteriores, cuerpo y patas amarillas brillantes y la hembra tiene las alas anteriores, cuerpo y patas de color marrón. La hembra es más grande que el macho y tiene el abdomen más abultado. Las antenas del macho son mucho más grandes y plumosas. Ambos sexos tienen ocelos azulados con blanco en el centro en cada ala posterior. Este es un mecanismo de defensa que asusta a los posibles depredadores.[3]
Los adultos vuelan solo de noche. Carecen de piezas bucales, no se alimentan y viven solo unos pocos días. Las hembras emiten feromonas que atraen a los machos a largas distancias.
La mariposa io (Automeris io) es un lepidóptero nocturno perteneciente a la familia de los satúrnidos. Esta especie es miembro de las llamadas polillas ojos de venado.
Automeris io est une espèce nord-américaine de lépidoptères nocturnes de la famille des Saturniidae. On le retrouve dans des milieux secs et sablonneux avec des boisés à prédominance de conifères. Cette espèce est attirée par la lumière[1].
Dans la mythologie grecque, Io (en grec ancien Ἰώ / Iố) est la fille (ou tout au moins la descendante en droite ligne, le Catalogue des femmes la nommant « fille de Pirene ») du dieu fleuve Inachos, roi d'Argos, et de Mélia (ou d'Iasos et de Leucané). Elle était l'une des nombreuses maitresses de Zeus[2].
Au Canada, Automeris io se retrouve dans le sud des provinces du Manitoba, de l'Ontario, du Québec et du Nouveau-Brunswick. Aux États-Unis, il est présent dans les états du centre jusqu'à l'est. On le mentionne également dans l'est du Mexique[3].
L'adulte a une envergure de 50 à 80 mm. L'espèce présente un dimorphisme sexuel, le mâle a le corps, les ailes et les pattes jaunes tandis que chez la femelle, ses parties sont de couleur rouge brunâtre. Les mâles ont de larges antennes plumeuses contrairement aux femelles. Les deux sexes ont de larges ocelles sur les ailes postérieures[4].
La chenille de dernier stade est verte et possède deux lignes latérales, l'une blanche et l'autre rouge. Son corps est garni d'épines vertes venimeuses. À ce stade, elle mesure près de 6 cm[4].
Au Canada et dans le nord des États-Unis, Automeris io est univoltin. Dans certaines régions du sud, il peut y avoir jusqu'à 4 générations par année[5]. Les adultes sont nocturnes et sont attirés par la lumière. Pour se reproduire, la femelle émet des phéromones sexuelles. Les mâles peuvent capter ces molécules à de grandes distances à l'aide de leurs antennes larges et plumeuses[6].
Les œufs d’Automeris io sont blancs avec des motifs jaunes transversaux. Chez les œufs fertilisés, le micropyle est d'abord jaune puis tourne au noir après 3 à 5 jours[3]. Chez les œufs stériles, le micropule reste jaune[7]. Ils sont généralement pondus en groupe contenant plus d'une vingtaine d'œufs. À l'émergence, les chenilles sont orange. Les jeunes chenille sont grégaires et se déplacent en file. Les chenilles plus âgées deviennent solitaires. La chenille d’Automeris io passera généralement par 5 stades de développement avant d'entamer son cocon et de se métamorphoser en chrysalide. Le nombre de stades larvaires peut varier selon les conditions environnementales[3],[8].
Le corps de la chenille d’Automeris io est garni d'épines venimeuses. Lorsque celles-ci pénètrent la peau, elles libèrent un venin qui provoque une réaction cutanée (irritation et inflammation)[4].
Selon Beadle et Leckie (2012)[9], Covell (2005)[10], Wagner (2005)[11], Handfield (1999)[1], Tuskes et al.(1996)[3] et Ferguson (1972)[12] :
Automeris io est une espèce nord-américaine de lépidoptères nocturnes de la famille des Saturniidae. On le retrouve dans des milieux secs et sablonneux avec des boisés à prédominance de conifères. Cette espèce est attirée par la lumière.
Automeris io (Fabricius, 1775), è una farfalla di medie dimensioni appartenente alla famiglia dei Saturniidae, diffusa in America Settentrionale e Centrale.[1]
La livrea presenta uno spiccato dimorfismo sessuale. Il maschio è infatti meno colorato e di minori dimensioni.
Si riproducono tre volte all'anno, i bruchi variano dal giallo bruno al verde brillante, con piccoli ciuffi di peli e una fascia bianca bordata di rosso lungo il corpo. Le farfalle di questo genere quando vengono irritate sul torace o quando sentono il pericolo di un predatore, mettono subito in vista i falsi occhi che sono disegnati sulle loro ali; così facendo riescono a spaventare l'avversario e guadagnare alcuni preziosi secondi di vantaggio per mettersi in salvo.
Automeris io (Fabricius, 1775), è una farfalla di medie dimensioni appartenente alla famiglia dei Saturniidae, diffusa in America Settentrionale e Centrale.
De Automeris io (Engels: Io moth) is een nachtvlinder uit de familie Saturniidae, de nachtpauwogen.
De soort vertoont een sterke seksueel dimorfisme. Het mannetje is geel van kleur terwijl het vrouwtje roodbuin is. De vlinder heeft een spanwijdte van 60 tot 80 millimeter.
Het verspreidingsgebied beslaat Midden-Amerika en het oostelijk en centrale deel van Noord-Amerika.
De vlinders hebben geen monddelen en voeden zich niet tijdens dat stadium van hun leven. Na het leggen van de eitjes sterven de vrouwtje ook de mannetje leven niet lang.
De rupsen voeden zich onder meer met planten uit de geslachten Wilg, Cercis, Braam, Hibiscus, Prunus en Ribes.
De Automeris io (Engels: Io moth) is een nachtvlinder uit de familie Saturniidae, de nachtpauwogen.
Automeris io er en sommerfugl som tilhører familien påfuglspinnere (Saturniidae). Denne arten finnes fra det sørlige Canada til Texas og Florida i sør. Larvene er kledt med neslehår som skiller ut gift ved berøring.
En middelsstor (vingespenn 62 – 87 mm) spinner, hunnen større enn hannen. Det er stor forskjell på kjønnene. Hos hannen er bein, kropp og forvinger gule, mens de samme delene er brunrøde hos hunnen. Hos begge kjønn er bakvingen gul med en stor, svartkantet, blå øyeflekk med hvit kjerne i midten. Utenfor denne går det først en smal, svart tverrlinje og så en litt bredere, rød. Bakvingens innerkant er kledt med røde hår, noen ganger er også ytterkanten rød. Larven er grønn, tett kledt med korte, stive hår. Disse er neslehår som skiller ut irriterende gift ved berøring.
Som vanlig for påfuglspinnere kan larvene finnes på en lang rekke forskjellige løvtrær og busker. De er selskapelige som unge, men når de er utvokste finnes de enkeltvis. Larven spinner seg inn i en løst spunnet kokong før den forvandler seg til en puppe. Lengst i nord har A. io bare en generasjon hvert år, i Florida kan den ha tre eller fire. Sommerfuglene flyr om natten og kommer gjerne til lys. Hunnen sitter mye i ro og sender ut feromoner, som tiltrekker hannene. Som andre påfuglspinnere har de voksne sommerfuglene reduserte munndeler og tar ikke næring til seg.
Automeris io er en sommerfugl som tilhører familien påfuglspinnere (Saturniidae). Denne arten finnes fra det sørlige Canada til Texas og Florida i sør. Larvene er kledt med neslehår som skiller ut gift ved berøring.
LarveAutomeris coloradensis é uma espécie de mariposa do gênero Automeris, da família Saturniidae.[1]
Automeris coloradensis é uma espécie de mariposa do gênero Automeris, da família Saturniidae.
В Імаго (статевозрілих, у продуктивному віці) розмах крил становить 63-88 мм. Для виду характерний статевий диморфізм, самці мають яскраво-жовті передні крила, тіло та ноги, тоді як в самиць червонувато-брунатні передні крила, тіло та ноги. Самці, зокрема, мають більші, ніж у самиць перисті антени. І в самця, і в самиці на обох задніх крилах є великі так звані «очі», що бувають від чорного до синюватого кольорів з білою цяткою в центрі. Ці «очі» є своєрідним механізмом захисту, який дає змогу відлякувати потенційних хижаків, особливо коли метелик сидить в позиції вниз головою.
Цей вид зустрічається в Канаді та Сполучених Штатах.
Bướm đêm Io (Automeris io) là một loài sâu bướm Bắc Mỹ rất nhiều màu sắc trong Họ Saturniidae. Nó sinh sống từ góc đông nam của Manitoba và trong cực nam của Ontario, Quebec, và New Brunswick ở Canada, và ở Mỹ nó được tìm thấy từ North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, phía đông của các bang và xuống phía nam của Florida.[1] Imago có sải cánh từ 2,5-3,5 inch.
Con cái đẻ trứng với ova trắng trên lá của các cây chủ sau:
Bướm đêm Io (Automeris io) là một loài sâu bướm Bắc Mỹ rất nhiều màu sắc trong Họ Saturniidae. Nó sinh sống từ góc đông nam của Manitoba và trong cực nam của Ontario, Quebec, và New Brunswick ở Canada, và ở Mỹ nó được tìm thấy từ North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, phía đông của các bang và xuống phía nam của Florida. Imago có sải cánh từ 2,5-3,5 inch.
Eyespots on a female moth Io moth caterpillarCon cái đẻ trứng với ova trắng trên lá của các cây chủ sau:
Prunus pensylvanica — Pin cherry Salix — Willow Abies balsamea — Balsam fir Acer rubrum — Red maple Amorpha fruticosa — Bastard indigo Baptisia tinctoria — Wild indigo Carpinus caroliniana — American hornbeam Celtis laevigata — Texas sugarberry Cephalanthus occidentalis - Button-bush Cercis canadensis — Eastern Redbud Chamaecrista fasciculata — Showy Partridge Pea Comptonia peregrina — Sweetfern Cornus florida — Flowering dogwood Corylus avellana — Common hazel Fagus — Beech Fraxinus — Ash Liquidambar styraciflua - American Sweetgum Quercus - Oak Trứng khoảng 48 giờ sau khi đẻ trên lá cây bay. First instar on Quercus virginianaСатурния ио[1] (лат. Automeris io) — вид павлиноглазок рода Automeris, обитающий в Северной Америке.
Размах крыльев 6 до 9 см. Выражен половой диморфизм. Самка имеет красновато-бурые передние крылья и лапки, в то время как самец имеет жёлтые передние и задние крылья, тело и лапки. Задние крылья самца и самки несут так называемые глаза, которые имеют чёрный цвет, а в центре находится белая точка. Заднее крыло возле своего корня имеют яркий красный окрас.
Встречается от юго-восточного района Манитоба (Канада) до южного края штатов Онтарио, Квебека и провинции Нью-Брансуика. В США он встречается от Северной Дакоты, Южной Дакоты, Небраски, Колорадо, Нью-Мексико, Техаса, Юты, с востока на юг до Флориды.[2]
Гусеница зелёного цвета, питаются листьями следующих растений (но этим список не ограничивается):
Сатурния ио (лат. Automeris io) — вид павлиноглазок рода Automeris, обитающий в Северной Америке.