Slosser's buckmoth
Hemileuca slosseri Peigler & Stone, 1989
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Hemileucinae
Identification: Male abdomen is black with a red tip, female abdomen is black and may have red bands, but not a red tip. Wings are translucent. Upperside of wings is gray with narrow black borders and black wing bases. Each wing has a wide white band and a small eyespot.
Wing Span: 2 1/2 - 3 5/16 inches (6.4 - 8.4 cm).
Life History: Adults emerge in early morning and mate between mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Females lay eggs in rings around host twigs in the late afternoon. The eggs overwinter and hatch in April, and caterpillars feed together 1-2 feet off the ground. Fully-grown caterpillars spin loose cocoons in leaf litter under the host. Most of these will emerge as adults in the fall, but some may delay emergence for up to 2 years.
Flight: One brood. Most flight records are from November.
Caterpillar Hosts: Oaks (Quercus).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Rolling sand plains.
Range: West Texas, western Oklahoma, and southeastern New Mexico.
Conservation: Populations should be inventoried to determine conservation status.
NCGR: GU - Unable to assign rank due to lack of available information.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 19, 2016
Submitted by: bwilliamson
Region: Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: apan123
Verified date: Oct 19, 2016
Observation date: Nov 07, 2015
Submitted by: DebW
Region: Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Nov 09, 2015
Observation date: Oct 29, 2015
Submitted by: bwilliamson
Region: Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Nov 09, 2015
Observation date: May 10, 2014
Submitted by: hutchison.whitney
Region: Andrews County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 11, 2014
Observation date: Nov 15, 2012
Submitted by: kmortensen
Region: Texas, Midland County, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Nov 18, 2012
Observation date: Apr 27, 2012
Submitted by: kmortensen
Region: Gaines County, Texas, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: May 02, 2012
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA
Region:
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Chaves County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Texas, United States, Yoakum County
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Dickens County, Texas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Texas, Stonewall County, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Andrews County, Texas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Gaines County, Texas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Texas, Terry County, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Cottle County, Texas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Texas, Kent County, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004