Eastern Buckmoth Flight (Hemileuca maia)

[beetlehorn]

Last year I posted in regards to seeing and collecting Hemileuca maia. Well I told myself this year I would be ready for them, and I was. I started sighting them November 1, and have had great success collecting the males as they were following the pheromone plume from wild females. They would come flying by in numbers of two to six at a time. Two days in a row I managed to capture two dozen each day, and that's not counting all the ones I released because of imperfections such as flight wear, chips and splits in the wings. I saw hundreds at least, and managed to get a few females that oviposited egg rings for me. Now I hope I can rear some for next seasons project. I did notice flight patterns where most would go in a certain direction, so one day I followed a few males and suddenly I sighted dozens swarming around a single oak tree about twenty feet off the ground. I concluded that there must have been a calling female in that tree, then all of a sudden they dissipated, which means a male successfully mated her. I never saw the female, but she must have been there somewhere. For those of you that like the Saturnidae moths, Hemileucas are well worth investigating. Collectors in the western US are well aware of what I mean because there are multiple species to be found there.

[joee30]

I'm stoked about this next coming season here in Nevada. I have access to a chemistry lab at the University of Nevada,Reno and some of the students I'm working with at the entomology lab want to try and make some pheromones for next summers Hemileuca Eglanterina, nuttali, and hera season. Hopefully we can make enough to go after H.electra, nevadensis in California.

[oehlkew]

Interesting observation about the swarm of maia males about twenty feet up in the tree. I am surprised a female would be up that high. Perhaps she
had pupated in a notch in the tree. Best of luck with them.
Bill Oehlke

[beetlehorn]

I also found this somewhat bizarre. I know they pupate on or just below the soil surface, and I would say they climb up on a twig or bush to expand their wings upon eclosure near ground level, certainly not above eye level, but I could be wrong. Anyway I had one heck of a season, capturing two to three males within a matter of seconds. Sometimes they came easy, but most times they were somewhat of a challenge.

[papilio28570]

I have been unsuccessful in locating this species here in eastern North Carolina. Can you describe the habitat, your approximate elevation and the predominant oak species in the area where you are seeing them?

Thanks in advance

[leptraps]

I collected to males of Hemiluca maia in Brunswick County, North Carolina in 2006. I was looking for cocoons of Callosamia securifera. I saw several from a distance, returned to my truck and got a net. This was mid-December. They were some what wing worn but intact. There were small oaks in abundance. I could not locate egg rings. However, I found egg rings on Salix (Willow) in NW Ohio. I reared them on Willow in Ohio (Lucas County) and Virginia (Giles County). I only saw one adult in Virginia. I found an egg ring on willow in Giles County, Virginia. I also found several larvae on Black Berry in Montgomery County, Virginia. One male emerged, the other was parasitized with a Tachinid fly.

[beetlehorn]

Yes I can. The way I found these moths was from past memory. Years ago when I hunted quail I remember seeing them fly during the first few weeks of the season. There was a timber company that owned thousands of acres, and when roads were cut into the territory, TWRA(Tenn. Wildlife Resources Agency) would sow lespedeza along the dirt and gravel roads which attracted lots of quail. Much of the habitat was predominantly oak of different species, but where I saw the most Eastern Buckmoths was where there were lots of Blackjack Oak (Quercus marilandica), Dwarf Chinkapin Oak (Quercus prinoides), and some Chestnut Oak (Quercus Montana). If I had to name the predominant species in the area, it would probably be White Oak (Quercus alba). I suspect that Blackjack Oak is their primary hostplant though. The same is true in other places I have encountered them. These trees prefer rocky upland soil, especially along forest edges, and I find them at elevations from 300-600 feet here in my area. Look for scrubby oak dominated areas in somewhat poor soils that have lots of limestone and chert. Here they fly from the first of November until about the 20th. They will only fly at temperatures above 60 deg. F. especially after a rain. Sunny or partly cloudy days are good but not absolutely necessary. One of my best days occurred when it was totally overcast, 67 deg.Farenheit with a slight southerly breeze. Males begin to fly at around 11:00am, and peak at about 12:30pm. Females can occasionally be seen flying after about 1:00pm. I have seen them fly as late as 3:30pm. I hope this helps.

[exoticimports]

beetlehorn I sent you a PM, hope to hear from you.