distinguishing cynthia subspecies

lday at iquest.net lday at iquest.net
Sun Aug 3 13:34:32 EDT 1997


Help... I am blessed (???) with many emerging cynthia moths, which
are the offspring of a 3-way cross between Samia cynthia cynthia, 
S.c. walkeri, and S.c. ricini.  

I didn't make the cross, but I did keep track of the color of the larvae,
the color of the cocoon silk, and the appearance of the adults.  I want to 
mate only adults whose offspring are likely to diapause, which ricini doesn't.  

Can anyone tell me how to distinguish the subspecies from each other 
by either of the two traits above or by the appearance of the adults? 
I am going on the assumption, since there is nothing else, that moths 
whose larvae, cocoons, and adults look most like S.c.cynthia or S.c.walkeri
are more likely to act like those subsp. 

Also, if anyone is interested in eggs, I fear there are gonna be a lot of them.

Thank you,

Liz Day
LDAY at iquest.net 
Indianapolis, Indiana, central USA, 40 N latitude, zone 5.
http://www.iquest.net/~lday



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