Hyalophora columbia

Hyalophora columbia
Hyalophora columbia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Saturniidae
Genus: Hyalophora
Species: H. columbia
Binomial name
Hyalophora columbia
(Smith, 1865)
Synonyms
  • Samia columbia Smith, 1865
  • Hyalophora gloveri (Strecker, 1872)
  • Platysamia gloveri Strecker, 1872
  • Platysamia gloveri var. reducta Neumoegen, 1891
  • Platysamia columbia nokomis Brodie, 1894
  • Platysamia columbia winonah Brodie, 1894

The Columbia Silkmoth or Larch Silkmoth (Hyalophora columbia) is a moth of the Saturniidae family. In the east it is found from Quebec and Ontario to Michigan, northern Wisconsin, and south-eastern Manitoba. In the west it is found from Alberta and Montana south through the Rocky Mountains to south-western Texas and into central Mexico. Glover's Silkmoth, Hyalophora columbia gloveri, is sometimes considered a separate species.

Flickr - Furryscaly - Columbia Silk Moth.jpg

The wingspan is 80-100 mm. Adults are on wing from May to July. There is one generation per year.

The larvae feed on Larix laricina in the eastern part of their range. Furthermore, it has been recorded on in Prunus pensylvanica, Alnus rugosa and Betula papyrifera in western Ontario. In the west they feed on Prunus demissa, Prunus emarginata, Purshia tridentata, Rosa, Salix, Shepherdia argentea, Eleagnus angustifolius and Ceanothus.

Subspecies

  • Hyalophora columbia columbia
  • Hyalophora columbia gloveri (Rocky Mountains)

External links