Eupackardia calleta: A curious diapause

[trehopr1]

In August of 2016 I aquired from a friend 3 cocoons of the Calleta Silkmoth (Eupackardia calleta). He had purchased about 10 from some breeder out West (of the mississippi); and he offered me 3 so I might have something new. On May.31.2018 I had my first one hatch out. Yesterday, on July.29.2018 I had my second one hatch out. Still waiting on the third. Is this unusual for this species to take so long to emerge? Is this typical since it comes from dry areas like Central Arizona and South Texas. Idle curiosity since I've never had Saturniids other than your typical Eastern species which everyone breeds or finds.
Maybe a member from out west familiar with this species would elaborate on the topic.

[bugboys3]

I had the same thing happen to E. calleta cocoons as well. I had about 10 that periodically hatched over a period of almost 2 years.

[coloradeo]

I thought I'd read something about this... found it... According to Tuskes/Tuttle/Collins in Wild Silk Moths of NA (p193), "Although obtaining livestock is relatively easy, maintaining laboratory stock can be problematic. Eclosion of adults from wild-collected cocoons is notoriously difficult to synchronize; the adults may emerge over a period of several years."

[trehopr1]

Thanks Coloradeo ! I find this fascinating.... Maybe this species has a slow metabolism during the pupal stage where the cells are being re-arranged from larvae to adult. Or perhaps, because here it is a species of dry, arid regions their has to be just the right amount of humidity, heat, or moisture (or the right combination of the three) lining up for the adult to eclose. Well, the adults are certainly quite beautiful in their largely black garb and the cocoons are surely tough and resilient.

[coloradeo]

Good luck with them. I reared a bunch on Lilac one year with good success.