Actias selene

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iIndian Moon Moth

Indian Moon moth from the Western Ghats

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Saturniidae
Genus:	Actias
Species:	A. selene

Binomial name

Actias selene
(Hübner, 1807)

The Indian Moon Moth or Indian Luna Moth (Actias selene) is a species of moth. This species is popular among amateur entomologists and is often reared from eggs or cocoons that are available from commercial sources.

1 Range
2 Life Cycle
3 Egg
4 Larva
5 Pupa
6 Adult
7 Images of Life Cycle
8 Host Plants
9 Trivia

[edit] Range

This incredible moth is quite widespread, found from India to Japan and then south into Nepal, Ceylon, Borneo, and other islands in eastern Asia. Many subspecies live in Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Philippines, Russia, China, Java, Sri Lanka, Sumatra and Borneo.

[edit] Life Cycle

Eggs are 2 mm, colored white with extensive black and brown mottling. Incubation lasts approximately two weeks and newly hatched larvae are red with a black abdominal saddle. Second instar larvae are all red with black heads. It is not until the third instar that larvae take on a green color. The developing larvae prefer humid conditions.

[edit] Egg

[edit] Larva

[edit] Pupa

[edit] Adult

[edit] Images of Life Cycle

First instar larvae reared on American Sweetgum	Second instar larva with third instars in the background.	Second instar larva undergoing apolysis	Second and third instar larvae
Third instar larva	Third instar larva	Thid instar larvae with a second instar in the background	Fourth instar larva recently completing ecdysis
Fourth instar larva	Fifth instar larva	Fifth instar larva closeup to show head and mouthparts