Samia cynthia

[tims]

Have always wondered why Samia cynthia never expanded beyond urbana areas despite the proliferation of it's favorite host plant, Ailanthus, in the United States. Are there any journal articles that discuss this topic?

[papilio28570]

I asked about any recent records of wild captures of this moth in the USA a year or so ago in the old forum. Respondents believed that the moth is no longer resident in the wild in the USA. There are no recent records unless someone reading this has updated information.

[tims]

Not sure if new records would mean that much since people still release this species from time to time. I have heard of at least four different individuals that either realesed this species in the recent past or had plans to release this species.

[papilio28570]

That may be true, but people releasing specimens generally have a single genetic line and inbreeding will soon extirpate the population. Also, I read that it takes about 600 specimens to maintain a local population of silk moths.

[eurytides]

www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Samia-cynthia

There's a recent wild sighting from July 16, 2015 from NJ. I think they are still around in the wild, just local. There are dealers in the US still offering ova for sale, so there must be wild stock available to prevent inbreeding.

[papilio28570]

Received the following email from a lep group here in North Carolina dated July 27, 2017. Apparently, the moth is still in the wild but quite rare.


I was working on a stream restoration site today in downtown Greensboro, and while hacking through a grove of Ailanthus saplings, this little guy fell onto the ground in front of me. Needless to say, I was quite surprised. Not sure the last time this species was recorded in North Carolina. The area in question is a long abandoned railway track downtown, that is severely overgrown with plants, both native and introduced. Definitely not the kind of place lepidopterists are likely to go looking for anything...