cynthia sex

[Chris Conlan]

S. cynthia ricini is nearly as domesticated as Bombyx mori (standard 
silkworm).  The females rarely fly and often don't even expand their wings
correctly.  They males do fly and mate very readily with the females for
about 24 hours (it's doubtful they were getting it on when you were not
looking).  The females then dump most of their eggs in a large pile right
where they happen to be sitting.  The easiest way to sex them is by the size
of the body.  Females are very fat while the bodies of the males are
considerably smaller (just flying sperm).  Of course, for these guys the
other way to tell is just wait until it gets dark.  If they fly they are
probably males!  The lifespan is usually about 5 days or less (a bit longer
for females sometimes).  Females will lay eggs if not mated but usually not
in a huge clump over a single night.  No, those are not sperm packets.

Chris

----------
From: llarson at hcs.harvard.edu (Lisa Larson)
To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu
Subject: cynthia sex
Date: Tue, Jul 18, 2000, 7:29 PM



I guess either (1) the moths were getting it on when I wasn't looking
and then stealthily returned to their normal locations for when I looked
next; (2) those are sperm packets, not eggs-- but they look an awful lot
like eggs; or (3) female moths lay unfertilized eggs sometimes.

Anyone know what's going on here?  Also, are my moths normal to be so
docile and uninterested in flight?  Oh, and how long do these moths
live?

Thanks,
Lisa


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