A new species of Cotesia Cameron (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) reared from the hickory horned devil, Citheronia regalis, and luna moth, Actias luna, in east Texas

The braconid wasp parasitoidCotesianuellorumWhitfield, new species, is described from specimens reared from a caterpillar of the hickory horned devil,Citheroniaregalis(F.), and from a caterpillar of the luna moth,Actiasluna(L.), in eastern Texas. The species is diagnosed with respect to other species ofCotesiarecorded from North American Saturniidae, and details of its biology are provided.

A new species of Cotesia Cameron (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) reared from the hickory horned devil, Citheronia regalis, and luna moth, Actias luna, in east Texas

The braconid wasp parasitoidCotesianuellorumWhitfield, new species, is described from specimens reared from a caterpillar of the hickory horned devil,Citheroniaregalis(F.), and from a caterpillar of the luna moth,Actiasluna(L.), in eastern Texas. The species is diagnosed with respect to other species ofCotesiarecorded from North American Saturniidae, and details of its biology are provided.

Moth tails divert bat attack: Evolution of acoustic deflection

Adaptations to divert the attacks of visually guided predators have evolved repeatedly in animals. Using high-speed infrared videography, we show that luna moths (Actias luna) generate an acoustic diversion with spinning hindwing tails to deflect echolocating bat attacks away from their body and toward these nonessential appendages. We pit luna moths against big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) and demonstrate a survival advantage of ∼47% for moths with tails versus those that had their tails removed. The benefit of hindwing tails is equivalent to the advantage conferred to moths by bat-detecting ears. Moth tails lured bat attacks to these wing regions during 55% of interactions between bats and intact luna moths. We analyzed flight kinematics of moths with and without hindwing tails and suggest that tails have a minimal role in flight performance. Using a robust phylogeny, we find that long spatulate tails have independently evolved four times in saturniid moths, further supporting the selective advantage of this anti-bat strategy. Diversionary tactics are perhaps more common than appreciated in predator–prey interactions. Our finding suggests that focusing on the sensory ecologies of key predators will reveal such countermeasures in prey.

SOME NOTES ON ACTIAS LUNA (LEPID)

Elliott and Soule in ‘Caterpillars and their Moths’ say of the luna eggs—“Luna eggs are as purely white as its own white scales. We have had many eggs of luna, and never one which was not white.”

AN ABERRATION OF ACTIAS LUNA

My friends have not always forgotten me, but have occasionally sent me live Saturnian chrysalids, spun up no doubt with the intention of the insect to emerge in America. Instead, the poor deluded creatures appeared as months in my German room, allowing me to deceive myself for the moment that in my German room, allowing me to deceive myself for the moment that I was at home. Cynthia, promethea, cecropia, polyphemus, io and even imperialis, came out as in America. The only difficulty I had was with my few cocoons of luna, the moths in some cases failing to expand their wings. But, if my memory does not fail, this accident happens also more especially with luna in the breeding cage at home. Amont the examples which emerged here is one small male, expanding 78 mil., which is the most curious example of the species I remember to have seen. The wings are almos prefectly expanded, a little unevenness of the costa of the right primary, which is somewhat concave, and a slight crumpling of the costal region of both secondaries, are traces of retarded development; the “tails” are fully out.