1 life cycle
1.1 egg
1.2 caterpillar
1.3 pupa
1.4 adult
life cycle
egg
female promethea silkmoths lay eggs on leaves of host plants of caterpillars. eggs laid @ night. female’s eggs mature when laid in groups of 4-10 eggs @ time. eggs white, flat , elliptical.
caterpillar
once caterpillars hatch, solitary. eat leaves edge inwards. caterpillars eat several host plants. caterpillars begin yellow black stripes, become blue-green colored on time. once blue-green, develop 4 red , 1 yellow protuberances. these caterpillars go through several instars or skin shedding, , after fifth shedding caterpillar ready form cocoon. when caterpillars form cocoons, twice long wide.
pupa
some caterpillars in saturniidae family pupate in ground. however, promethea silkmoth caterpillars pupate in trees. caterpillars attach directly branches of trees silk. then, curl dead leaf around themselves. c. promethea pupates during winter.
adult
the wingspan of moth 3-4 inches, females on average larger males. males darkly pigmented, while females more brightly colored. males , females both have tan on edges of wings. males have set of eyespots on forewings, females have spots on wings. in northern part of promethea silkmoth s range, there 1 brood per year , occurs during summer. in southern part of moth’s range, there 2 broods, 1 occurring in spring , other occurring in late summer.
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