io moth

Description:

io moths, 3 larger brown females and 3 yellow males, after mating. Royal Silkworm moths: Family Saturniidae, Subfamily Hemileucinae. Host plants include deciduous trees, shrubs and plants, including clover, corn, maple, oak, willow, redbud.

Habitat:

Woodland

Notes:

I reared the io larvae from eggs found on redbud. Larvae pupated and the next June when they eclosed, I marked and released the males and moved the females into the "cathouse". When the females called in wild males, I caught them and placed them into the cathouse with the females to mate. After mating I released the males and collected some eggs from the females, then released them too.