Samia cynthia, the ailanthus silkmoth, is a saturniid moth, used to produce silk fabric but not as domesticated as the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The moth has very large wings of 113–125 mm (4.4–4.9 in), with a quarter-moon shaped spot on both the upper and lower wings, whitish and yellow stripes and brown background. There are eyespots on the outer forewings. The species was first described by Dru Drury in 1773.
The common name, ailanthus silkmoth, refers to the host plant Ailanthus. There is a subspecies, S. cynthia ricini in India and Thailand that feeds upon the leaves of castor bean, and is known for the production of eri silk, and is often referred to by the common name eri silkmoth.
The eri silk worm is the only completely domesticated silkworm other than Bombyx mori. The silk is extremely durable, but cannot be easily reeled off the cocoon and is thus spun like cotton or wool.[1]
Ailanthus silkmoth from Roxas, Panay island, Philippines
Rangeedit
Peigler & Naumann (2003),[2] in their revision of the genus Samia, listed material of true Samia cynthia examined as follows:
Indigenous populationsedit
Asia: China (Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shandong, Beijing, Shanxi, Liaoning, Heilongjiang); Korea (North Pyongan, South Pyongan, Pyongyang, Kangwon, South Kyongsan, Chungcheongnam-do province)
Introduced populationsedit
These include moths that have escaped from cultivation or were introduced and naturalized:
LarvaeAilanthus silkmoth diversity (with Actias luna specimens included in first two rows)
Eggsedit
Whitish eggs, marked with brown, are laid in rows of 10 to 20 on leaves in crescents. Hatching takes 7 to 10 days.
Larvaeedit
Larvae are gregarious and yellow at first. Later instars are solitary, and whitish green with white tubercules along the back, and small black dots. There are five instars, and they reach a maximum length 70–75 mm (2.8–3.0 in).
Pupaeedit
Eri cocoons
A silken off-white to grey cocoon is spun on the leaves of the host. It has an obvious escape hatch.
Adultsedit
Females prepare to mate in the evening or night after emerging in late morning. Adult flight is during May and June in northern Europe, as one generation. In southern Europe a partial second generation may occur in September. Adults lack mouth parts and can neither eat nor drink.
Food plantsedit
Larvae will feed on other trees and shrubs, but all eggs are laid on the "tree of heaven" (Ailanthus altissima) and growth is best on it. This tree is commonly grown as an ornamental in cities, but is considered a noxious weed and vigorous invasive species and is one of the worst invasive plant species in Europe and North America.[4] The subspecies S. cynthia ricini feeds upon castor bean.
^"The Queen of Textiles." Nina Hyde. National Geographic Magazine. Vol. 165, No. 1, January, 1984, pp. 2-49.
^Peigler, R.S. & Naumann, S., 2003. A Revision of the Silkmoth Genus Samia. San Antonio: University of the Incarnate Word. 230 pp., 10 maps, 228 figs. ISBN0-9728266-0-2
^Wangkiat, Paritta (19 February 2017). "Ericulture reeling them in". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
^Sladonja, Barbara; Sušek, Marta; Guillermic, Julia (October 2015). "Review on invasive tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle) conflicting values: assessment of its ecosystem services and potential biological threat". Environmental Management. 56 (4): 1009–1034. Bibcode:2015EnMan..56.1009S. doi:10.1007/s00267-015-0546-5. PMID 26071766. S2CID 8550327.
Further readingedit
Tuskes, PM, JP Tuttle and MM Collins. 1996. The Wild Silk Moths of North America. Cornell University Press. ISBN0-8014-3130-1
Saturnids of Western Palearctic
External linksedit
Wikispecies has information related to Samia cynthia.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Samia cynthia.
Lotts, Kelly & Naberhaus, Thomas (2017). "Ailanthus silkmoth Samia cynthia (Drury, 1773)". Butterflies and Moths of North America. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
samia, cynthia, ailanthus, silkmoth, saturniid, moth, used, produce, silk, fabric, domesticated, silkworm, bombyx, mori, moth, very, large, wings, with, quarter, moon, shaped, spot, both, upper, lower, wings, whitish, yellow, stripes, brown, background, there,. Samia cynthia the ailanthus silkmoth is a saturniid moth used to produce silk fabric but not as domesticated as the silkworm Bombyx mori The moth has very large wings of 113 125 mm 4 4 4 9 in with a quarter moon shaped spot on both the upper and lower wings whitish and yellow stripes and brown background There are eyespots on the outer forewings The species was first described by Dru Drury in 1773 Ailanthus silkmothAdult male and femaleScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ArthropodaClass InsectaOrder LepidopteraFamily SaturniidaeGenus SamiaSpecies S cynthiaBinomial nameSamia cynthia Drury 1773 SynonymsPhalaena attacus cynthia Drury 1773 Saturnia aylanti Motschulsky 1858 Attacus walkeri Felder amp Felder 1862 in part Bombyx ailanthi Weil 1863 Philosamia cynthia Grote 1874 Philosamia cynthia Rothschild 1895 Saturnia ailanti Fauvel 1895 Attacus cynthia var parisiensis Clement 1899 Samia cynthia pryeri Jordan 1911 in part misidentification Philosamia cynthia advena Watson 1912 Philosamia cynthia eulouvaina Watson 1914 Contents 1 Eri silk 2 Range 2 1 Indigenous populations 2 2 Introduced populations 3 Life cycle 3 1 Eggs 3 2 Larvae 3 3 Pupae 3 4 Adults 4 Food plants 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksEri silk edit nbsp Eri silk fiber nbsp Eri silk clothesThe common name ailanthus silkmoth refers to the host plant Ailanthus There is a subspecies S cynthia ricini in India and Thailand that feeds upon the leaves of castor bean and is known for the production of eri silk and is often referred to by the common name eri silkmoth The eri silk worm is the only completely domesticated silkworm other than Bombyx mori The silk is extremely durable but cannot be easily reeled off the cocoon and is thus spun like cotton or wool 1 nbsp Ailanthus silkmoth from Roxas Panay island PhilippinesRange editPeigler amp Naumann 2003 2 in their revision of the genus Samia listed material of true Samia cynthia examined as follows Indigenous populations edit Asia China Zhejiang Shanghai Jiangxi Jiangsu Shandong Beijing Shanxi Liaoning Heilongjiang Korea North Pyongan South Pyongan Pyongyang Kangwon South Kyongsan Chungcheongnam do province Introduced populations edit These include moths that have escaped from cultivation or were introduced and naturalized Asia Japan India Thailand 3 Australasia Australia America Canada United States Venezuela Uruguay Brazil Africa Tunisia Europe France Austria Switzerland Germany Spain Bulgaria ItalyLife cycle edit nbsp Larvae nbsp Ailanthus silkmoth diversity with Actias luna specimens included in first two rows Eggs edit Whitish eggs marked with brown are laid in rows of 10 to 20 on leaves in crescents Hatching takes 7 to 10 days Larvae edit Larvae are gregarious and yellow at first Later instars are solitary and whitish green with white tubercules along the back and small black dots There are five instars and they reach a maximum length 70 75 mm 2 8 3 0 in Pupae edit nbsp Eri cocoonsA silken off white to grey cocoon is spun on the leaves of the host It has an obvious escape hatch Adults edit Females prepare to mate in the evening or night after emerging in late morning Adult flight is during May and June in northern Europe as one generation In southern Europe a partial second generation may occur in September Adults lack mouth parts and can neither eat nor drink Food plants editLarvae will feed on other trees and shrubs but all eggs are laid on the tree of heaven Ailanthus altissima and growth is best on it This tree is commonly grown as an ornamental in cities but is considered a noxious weed and vigorous invasive species and is one of the worst invasive plant species in Europe and North America 4 The subspecies S cynthia ricini feeds upon castor bean See also editSericultureReferences edit The Queen of Textiles Nina Hyde National Geographic Magazine Vol 165 No 1 January 1984 pp 2 49 Peigler R S amp Naumann S 2003 A Revision of the Silkmoth Genus Samia San Antonio University of the Incarnate Word 230 pp 10 maps 228 figs ISBN 0 9728266 0 2 Wangkiat Paritta 19 February 2017 Ericulture reeling them in Bangkok Post Retrieved 19 February 2017 Sladonja Barbara Susek Marta Guillermic Julia October 2015 Review on invasive tree of heaven Ailanthus altissima Mill Swingle conflicting values assessment of its ecosystem services and potential biological threat Environmental Management 56 4 1009 1034 Bibcode 2015EnMan 56 1009S doi 10 1007 s00267 015 0546 5 PMID 26071766 S2CID 8550327 Further reading editTuskes PM JP Tuttle and MM Collins 1996 The Wild Silk Moths of North America Cornell University Press ISBN 0 8014 3130 1 Saturnids of Western PalearcticExternal links edit nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Samia cynthia nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Samia cynthia Lotts Kelly amp Naberhaus Thomas 2017 Ailanthus silkmoth Samia cynthia Drury 1773 Butterflies and Moths of North America Retrieved November 11 2018 Cynthia moth Samia cynthia mating YouTube video Cynthia moth Samia cynthia laying eggs YouTube video Lepiforum e V Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Samia cynthia amp oldid 1077766120, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
