Calleta silkmoth
Eupackardia calleta (Westwood, 1853)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Saturniinae
Identification: Body is black with a red collar and red on the rear of the thorax. Wings are black with conspicuous white postmedian lines, which are wider in females. Triangular white spots on the wings range from large to almost absent.
Wing Span: 3 1/8 - 4 5/16 inches (8 - 11 cm).
Life History: Adult moths emerge in the evening and begin mating the next morning, as early as 7:30 AM until about noon. Females lay eggs beginning at dusk on the same day. Eggs are deposited in clumps on both surfaces of host plant leaves. Young caterpillars feed gregariously and older caterpillars are solitary feeders. The cocoon is attached to a twig by a short silken loop and is usually spun near the ground and often in shade.
Flight: In the southeastern mountains of Arizona, one brood from July-August; from central Arizona to Mexico, one brood from October-January; in South Texas, two broods from September-November and March-April.
Caterpillar Hosts: Ceniza (Leucophyllum frutescens), ash (Fraxinus), Mexican jumping bean (Sapium biloculare), and ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Thorn scrub, foothills and canyons of desert mountain ranges, and dry desert.
Range: The Rio Grande Valley and Big Bend areas of Texas; southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico south to Veracruz, Mexico; Guatemala.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Get your BAMONA Gear!
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 105 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 27, 2017
Submitted by: lrfh06
Region: Bee County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 27, 2017
Observation date: Jul 15, 2016
Submitted by: Nicki Lucas
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 04, 2017
Observation date: Sep 22, 2016
Submitted by: Canyonwren2
Region: Texas, Medina County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 22, 2016
Observation date: Aug 09, 2016
Submitted by: skayorton
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: kellyrichers
Verified date: Aug 19, 2016
Observation date: Apr 24, 2016
Submitted by: riazins
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 25, 2016
Observation date: Apr 12, 2016
Submitted by: m.andres8310
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 14, 2016
Observation date: May 05, 2015
Submitted by: Kkat
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 06, 2015
Observation date: Aug 31, 2014
Submitted by: Skoenlaper
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 06, 2014
Observation date: Mar 17, 2011
Submitted by: lmreid71
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 27, 2014
Observation date: Jul 19, 2014
Submitted by: nightwings8
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: kellyrichers
Verified date: Jul 23, 2014
Observation date: Apr 21, 2014
Submitted by: Monka
Region: Texas, Refugio County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 22, 2014
Observation date: Jan 14, 2014
Submitted by: Matty04
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 14, 2014
Observation date: Oct 31, 2013
Submitted by: birdsherriff
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 04, 2013
Observation date: Aug 04, 2013
Submitted by: Mike Rosengarten
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Robert Martin
Verified date: Aug 20, 2013
Observation date: Mar 09, 2013
Submitted by: egann
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 11, 2013
Observation date: Mar 17, 2013
Submitted by: JAKeverline
Region: Texas, Medina County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 28, 2013
Observation date: Mar 18, 2013
Submitted by: dneese
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 28, 2013
Observation date: Feb 23, 2013
Submitted by: JAKeverline
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Mar 27, 2013
Observation date: Mar 11, 2013
Submitted by: Riveroaks2013
Region: Texas, Uvalde County, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Mar 15, 2013
Observation date: Mar 12, 2013
Submitted by: kbrandes
Region: Goliad County, Texas, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Mar 15, 2013
Observation date: Jun 19, 2012
Submitted by: amhall_75
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Jul 10, 2012
Observation date: Apr 23, 2012
Submitted by: gabycabralez
Region: Texas, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Apr 24, 2012
Observation date: Feb 23, 2012
Submitted by: castanedafamilysa
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Mar 01, 2012
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (Roxana García-Zinsmeyer)
Region: Texas, Medina County, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Nov 04, 2010
- ‹ previous
- 3 of 5
- next ›