Hyalophora cecropia in Denver, CO.

[oslari]

Greetings all, 
Does anyone have any information or recent (2015-2021) sightings of H. cecropia in Denver? Does anyone know what happened with those populations? Introduced or not? Thank you so much!

[mikeh]

My understanding is that the population is native and the south platte river supports a thin band of habitat that extends from the east.

[oslari]

Would there be any way to find them now? Any tips?

[exoticimports]

iNaturalist shows zero cecropia records for CO. Note that several factors affect records, so this doesn't mean the species doesn't exist in CO. www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&subview=map&taxon_id=81582

Butterflies and moths has historical records for CO, sadly w/o observation dates; note no recent observations. www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Hyalophora-cecropia


Chuck

[58chevy]

Here's an abbreviated quote from "The Wild Silkmoths of N. America":

"Its western limits in the Great Plains are discontinuous; it is common in Nebraska and in the Denver, Colorado area, but not in the mountains to the west. It has been reported from S.Dakota, N.Dakota, Wyoming, & E. Montana. It is uncertain whether the Great Plains populations represent the natural range or are a recent invasion following the westward movement of agriculture across the plains. H. cecropia was not reported in these areas until it became a pest in the late 1920s. Maples, esp. box elder(Acer negunda) were heavily infested, and outbreaks occurred in cycles until the species began a general decline in the late 1940s. It is possible that the records from some areas (e.g., Denver) represent adults inadvertently brought in as cocoons on shrubs & trees shipped from regions where cecropia is native. It is also possible that the moth was always present in low numbers and was simply overlooked before systematic records were kept."

[mikeh]

Scan-bugs list 117 colorado specimens, mostly kind of old. This the most recent one

scan-bugs.org/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=29163582&clid=0

I have never looked for this, but I would suggest trying out in the plains along the Platte, like around Fort Morgan.

[Paul K]

Aug 29, 2021 19:16:16 GMT -8 oslari said:

Would there be any way to find them now? Any tips?

I highly doubt that you can find adults now. This species is univoltine and it flies in the spring. Possibly last instar larvae or cocoons.

[oslari]

Aug 30, 2021 10:09:47 GMT -8 mikeh said:

Scan-bugs list 117 colorado specimens, mostly kind of old. This the most recent one

scan-bugs.org/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=29163582&clid=0

I have never looked for this, but I would suggest trying out in the plains along the Platte, like around Fort Morgan.

Thanks very much!

[oslari]

Aug 30, 2021 13:19:54 GMT -8 Paul K said:

Aug 29, 2021 19:16:16 GMT -8 oslari said:

Would there be any way to find them now? Any tips?

I highly doubt that you can find adults now. This species is univoltine and it flies in the spring. Possibly last instar larvae or cocoons.

I should have specified whatever time you can find the adults, but thanks!

[exoticimports]

Cocoons are easier to find than adults. You have nine months. Get searching!

[jellybean]

Apparently one can now find live African Moon moth caterpillars in the State of Washington
www.ebay.com/itm/313655719060