Attributes of Hemileuca electra
Electra buckmoth
Hemileuca electra W.G. Wright, 1884
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Hemileucinae
Identification: Upperside of forewing is white with black margins, black at the base, and black-outlined cell spots. Upperside of hindwing is orange with black margins and a black cell spot. Moths from southern California have more black markings on the forewing, while those from central Arizona have redder hindwings and heavier black markings; some forewings are almost solid black.
Wing Span: 2 3/16 - 3 1/16 inches (5.6 - 7.8 cm).
Life History: Adults emerge in early morning and mating takes place in mid-morning. In the afternoon, females lay eggs on dried flower heads or in rings around the stems of the host plants. Eggs overwinter and hatch from January-March. Young caterpillars feed together on new plant growth and when they are older they feed alone. In April or May fully-grown caterpillars spin loose cocoons in plant debris or in loose soil.
Flight: One brood from September-November.
Caterpillar Hosts: Flat top buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) and Eastern Mojave buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum polifolium).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: California coastal scrub, deserts, and desert upland.
Range: Southwestern Utah, southeastern Nevada, and northwestern Arizona south to central Arizona, southern California, and Baja California Sur.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Taxonomy Notes:
Images of Hemileuca electra
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The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 400 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
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The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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October 20, 2011 | Bill Truesdell | Riverside County, California, United States | June 21, 2012 | Details |
| January 30, 1988 | legacy.reporter (Michael J. Smith) | Gila County, Arizona, United States | January 28, 2009 | Details | |
| October 25, 1987 | legacy.reporter (Michael J. Smith) | Maricopa County, Arizona, United States | January 28, 2009 | Details | |
| September 29, 1987 | legacy.reporter (Michael J. Smith) | Mohave County, Arizona, United States | January 28, 2009 | Details | |
| March 11, 1975 | legacy.reporter (Kenneth C. Hansen) | Mohave County, Arizona, United States | January 28, 2009 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Gila County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Maricopa County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Mohave County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Pinal County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Yavapai County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Imperial County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Kern County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Los Angeles County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Orange County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Riverside County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | San Bernardino County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | San Diego County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Baja California Norte, Mexico | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Baja California Sur, Mexico | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Clark County, Nevada, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Washington County, Utah, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details |
