InsectNet forum

Moon moths are (generally) regarded as the graceful and
elegant long-tailed moth genera of the family Saturniidae.
Its a real treat to see one of these beauties land on your
light sheet in the tropics !

Some of the well known genera of mention are Actias, Argema,
Copiopteryx, Graellsia, and Eudaemonia. Several have a fair
number of species placed within them; others not so much.


Eudaemonia argus (Ivory Coast/Ganse') (June 1998)

It has to be said that there is certainly something attractive
about the long "whispy" tails of these moths which makes
them alluring. As "extreme" extensions of their hind wings
the tails (may seem) a waste of time but, in reality as air
currents run-over AND buffet them at the sides; they twist
and flap readily (as the moth moves along). As such, an
attacking predator is drawn to the movements of the tails
rather than the body of the moth itself.

As evidence of the success of this evolutionary improvement:
many moths show damaged or partially missing tails due to life
sparing escapes.

Here I show a few representatives of the marvelous species
which I have acquired over the years....


Copiopteryx derceto (Brazil, Joinville) (1973)


Graellsia isabellae (Spain, Castile) (1930)


Actias luna (Southern Illinois, Alto Pass) (June.10.2000)


Argema mimosae (Kenya, bred) (2018) (male)


Argema mimosae (Kenya, bred) (2018) (female)


12 x 16 case featuring 2 Copiopteryx and (pair)
of Eudaemonia argus.

Finally, what is probably THE largest of all moon
moths and most spectacular remains this one:
the ever (fantastic) and un-forgettable Tailed Comet
(Argema mittrei) of Madagascar.



There are many more wonderful species at hand
which (I have not as yet) acquired. Some can be
rather difficult to encounter and even expensive.
Females, are generally fewer in availability and do
tend to cost more because of that and also if they
are particularly nice (clean) examples.

If this discussion has at all "peaked" your interest
in moon moths then I wish you well in gathering
your own winged treasures of the pale moonlight !

I have some of those species trehopr but not of such high quality as yours. A really lovely group of specimens.

Love the tailed moths, and they never cease to amaze, the length of some species. I've got my portion, either raised from ova or bought
as cocoons.
I admire your use of space to give the animals the room they deserve. You can layer, or not-

Beautiful specimens!

A male Actias maenas from Bali Indonesia.
The long tails are very elegant but from memory this was quite difficult to spread/set

Tails are tough, and it becomes a decision to try and flatten them, or leave them ala natural. I've raised isis and meanas a few times, and spread
a lot of them, I try and use a glass slide to flatten the tails, but a good portion seem to end up with one perfectly flat tail, and the other, not
so much. It depends on what you're doing with them, I spread a bunch of Actias maenas one season for gifts in riker mounts, and wanted the tails flat,
in my cases, it's different. and the natural little twists don't seem to matter as much.

I never flatten tails as they become wrinkled and folded unnatural.

Here's an unusual yellow Actias luna raised by CK Swank. Unfortunately it turned green after the wings spread out.

There was a paper published a while back, that demonstrated that the tails are "anti-stealth" relative to bats. The fluttering tails send back a large acoustic signal that bats "see", and they preferentially attack the tails leaving the moths to fight another day. And when you are a moth that lays most of your eggs in a day or two - that's pretty important.

John

These are all amazing specimens...after a 30 year hiatus from collecting and losing about 40% of my original collection, I'm getting back into the hang of setting and spreading with some bird wing specimens...I'm just amazed at the beauty of these moths and the superb quality of the presentations.