Eastern Buckmoths flying

[beetlehorn]

I went out this past weekend looking for the Eastern Buckmoth, (Hemileuca maia) in some promising territory. After driving for ten minutes I started seeing them again as they were flying across the road. Nearly all were males. I went again Sunday morning hoping to find a freshly eclosed virgin female, but no luck there. I did manage to catch about ten males. Some were easy, some I had to chase down, and some got away. I hope to get some more if the weather stays warm. I am wondering if there is a method to finding females, or is it just by pure luck? The location I found these moths is littered with Blackjack Oak, which I have read to be their main hostplant. Any help would be appreciated. Tom

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[boogtwo]

They actually use several Quercus species. The "main" in your area being Quercus marilandica maybe, but can be others elsewhere (Q. prinoides, viginiana, ilicifolia, etc).

Newly eclosed females tend to not fly until they have been mated, usually early afternoon, so on the wing mid to late afternoon locating oviposition sites. In the morning they can be found at rest sometimes on host plants or other plants, sometimes buried in the plants, sometimes not. You can also locate egg rings sometimes if you are looking to rear them. Or if a virgin female is found to call in males to mate with her.

[papilio28570]

Where are you located beetlehorn? I've been wanting to find this for 50 years but can never seem to figure out when to look. I am in coastal North Carolina. Also, what was the daytime temperature when you caught them, and do you know what the avreage daytime and night time temperature is there at this time of year?

Thanks for any info.

[beetlehorn]

I saw the first Buckmoth here in Middle Tennessee on November 5 as I was driving home on my lunch hour. The temp. was 72deg. F. Then that weekend (Nov. 10&11) they were flying at another location, and I captured two males, and one female. Temps were at around 70deg. F, with windy conditions. The following four days were quite cold with temps only reaching 53deg.F, and I didn't see a single moth. Then on the 16th and 17th, the temps went back up to the mid 60's, and I saw several dozen moths both days. I managed to catch nine males on the 17th. I think they are done here for the year, because I went out two days ago and only saw two. I would say you have an average time window of about three weeks to see them flying. I have seen these moths at many different locations in the past years, and they were all encountered in areas where the forest was predominantly oak of several different species. I think they should be flying in states such as South Carolina, Georgia Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana....in December. Look for them on sunny warm days around oak forests, or woodlots. Tom

[papilio28570]

Thank you for the details. Much appreciated.