Chrysty's Emperor EGGS (Lobobunaea christyi)

We have eggs en route to us now!

This is a spectacular giant silk-moth species from Western Africa, characterised by its huge size with a wingspan of up to 20cm and bright red/pink eye-spots on each wing, particularly prominent on the hind-wing. Interestingly, it is debatable whether Lobobunaea christyi is a subspecies of Lobobunaea phaedusa or if it is a species in its own right - the two moths are similar, however christyi has eye-spots on all four wings where nominate phaedusa has them only on the hind-wings. This striking difference suggests they are likely distinct species. This species has multiple generations per year, being continually brooded when conditions allow but capable of diapause during the pupal stage. Eggs take a bit longer to hatch than most silk-moths at around 15-20 days, with larvae accepting a range of host plants and pupating after around 6-8 weeks of feeding - winter rearing can be achieved using evergreen host plants like Eucalyptus, Privet, or Evergreen Oak.

Difficulty: Straightforward (4/10).

Host plants: Eucalyptus, Privet (Ligustrum), Willow (Salix), Oak (Quercus), Sweetgum (Liquidambar), Walnut (Juglans), Sumac (Rhus).

Conditions - Room temperature is sufficient but this species enjoys a warm environment. 

Life-cycle - Continually brooded but pupae go into diapause when conditions are too dry or cold.