Coscinocera hercules

Coscinocera hercules (Coscinocera hercules)

Phylum — arthropoda
Class — insecta
Order — lepidoptera
Family — saturniidae

Genus – сoscinocera

Appearance

Newborn and younger caterpillars are white with numerous branching spines. The older caterpillars are light green with sparse yellow spines and small red dots on the sides of the body.

It has a wingspan of 27 centimeters (11 in). The wings are brown with a white irregular stripe down each wing and several transparent windows. In the male the hindwing is stretched out to form a long tail.

Habitat

Coscinocera hercules is endemic to New Guinea and northern Australia.

Behavior

Flight period is from January to April. Often seen resting on trees or buildings near rainforest.

Diet

The larvae feed on Polyscias elegans, Glochidion ferdinandi, Dysoxylum muelleri, Prunus serotina, Timonius rumphii, but also eat other plants in captivity.

Reproduction

For their reproduction you need a terrarium with a size of 70 x 70 x 90 cm. The female lays eggs alone or in groups. The eggs are rusty red, probably camouflaging as leaf galls in the plant. Incubation lasts from one and a half week to two weeks. The caterpillars should be kept in containers with a mesh lid for 6-8 insects.  At the bottom the keepers put wet paper towels and replace them every day. The caterpillar develops for 3-4 weeks. The temperature is about 25 ^o C and the humidity 70-80%. The duration of the pupa stage is 14-25 days. The butterfly's lifespan is up to 14 days.

In captivity

The mesh terrarium with a size of 50 × 50 × 70 mm is suitable for keeping butterflies. Room temperature is necessary. Adult butterflies of this species do not feed and live off the stocks accumulated during the larval period.