The Argema mimosae, commonly known as the African moon moth, is a captivating giant silk moth belonging to the family Saturniidae. This moth, with its striking appearance, is a subject of interest for both scientists and nature enthusiasts.
Similar in appearance to the giant Madagascan moon moth (Argema mittrei), but smaller, this moth can be found widely in Eastern Africa and more locally in Southern Africa, including near the east coast of South Africa. The species was first described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1847.
Appearance and Size
An adult African moon moth can measure 10 to 12 centimetres (3.9 to 4.7 in) across its wingspan and 12 to 14 centimetres (4.7 to 5.5 in) from head to the tip of its elongated tail-like second pair of wings. It is emerald green with yellow and red eyespots on its wings. Its forward wings have a distinctive grey-coloured "furry" leading edge, giving a very rough surface, presumably for aerodynamic reasons.
Larvae are green with thin white bands and rows of long projections on the back.
Habitat and Distribution
Argema mimosae is a moth that’s found in tropical subsaharan Africa including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania - where the moths are seasonally found in tropical rainforest or savannah woodlands.
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Life Cycle and Behavior
Females can lay a large number of eggs on a single plant. At night females release a pheromone into the air. Males flying through the air sense the pheromone and follow it back to the female. The female and male, in some cases, can remain copulated until the next night.
The larvae of Argema mimosae have elongated, fleshy tubercules, with a small arrangement of spines and hairs on top of them. They come in two varieties: green and (more rarely) yellow.
While the flight time of this species may vary locally depending oin the microclimate; generally speaking, the flight season of the moth is from October to March. Reportedly, the species tends to have two generations a year - the second brood diapausing (staying dormant) through the dry season as cocoons. Emergence is probably triggered by the warm monsoon rains during the rainy season.
African Moon Moth CARE: HOW to BREED them? / Argema mimosae in MothCycles (ft. Bart Coppens)
Larval Host Plants
They seem somewhat polyphagous and feed on numerous types of shrubs and trees in Africa; including but not limited to Sclerocarya caffra, Sclerocarya birrea, Commiphora mollis, Spirostachys africana, Eucalyptus, Excoecaria africana and more; in captivity (Europe, USA) moth enthousiasts have also managed to raise them on numerous non-native plants such as Liquidambar, Cotinus, Juglans, Rhus, and Euphorbia.
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Considering the large amount of leaf matter each caterpillar consumes they can do a significant amount of damage to a plant. Since one of their host plants is the Marula tree (Sclerocarya caffra), which produces edible fruit, this beautiful moth is considered a pest during its larval stage.
Rearing Argema Mimosae
If you want to raise Argema mimosae, it is a good idea to choose Anacardiaceae plants (Rhus, Cotinus, maybe even Pistachia) and also, while in a seperate plant family, Liquidambar. The eggs of this species are pale, near white but with a slight brownish tinge and oval. Around room temperature (21C) caterpillars will hatch from their eggs in about two weeks time. Eggs can be incubated in petri dishes, or closed plastic containers.
The young caterpillars of Argema mimosae havea peculair look; the segment near their rear end, and the segments near their thorax are bright orange while the segments in the ‘middle’ of their body are black. The first instars can easily be raised in completely airtight plastic boxes. The secret to succesfully raising the larvae of this species is high humidity!
Personally I try to raise this species in summer whenever possible. It saves the trouble of having to create artificial heating. The larvae feel very comfortable around 25C.
- Difficulty rating: Moderate - rearing the larvae is not super hard, but you do need basic experience.
- Prefered climate: Tropical.
- Special notes: High humidity is important for captive rearing. Anacardiaceae host plants recommended.
Larval Stages
The second, and third instar are also quite distinct. The second instar is bright red/orange (with no black markings). The third instar is green, with orange setae. They often rest upside down, in a ‘hunched over’ position (reminiscent of some Sphingidae larvae).
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In the fourth instar, the larvae grow long, fleshy tubercules - this makes them quite distinct. Between their flourescent green segments, they seem to have an almost blue colour. More uncommonly the larvae also have a bright yellow form.
In the fifth instar, their tubercules become very long! Make sure to keep their containers clear, warm, and humid. Replace old food plant every 2-4 days. Make sure to remove droppings dialy to bi-dialy. This species likes to be clean! They can be a little sensitive to infections and diseases. Keeping larval density low (don’t overcrowd) also helps to prevent diseases.
When ready to transform, they will spin silken cocoons - preferably in the axils of branches, or hidden between the leaves, or on the tree bark. The cocoons of Argema mimosae are very robust! In the wild they can endure prolonged hot and dry temperatures. In captivity, the cocoons are best kept hot and humid (humid is very important!) to stimulate the emergence/development of the moths.
In east Africa, typically the dry season runs from May to September, with June and July relatively cool and August and September hot and humid. The (warm!) wet season begins in November and finishes in March. Try to store the pupae in a warm and humid (keep them humid!) space.
Commercial Importance
Argema mimosa is also a commercially important species; in Africa, the species is farmed for exportation to butterfly farms, and insect enthousiasts. There’s a chance that if you ever visited a butterfly house, you’ve seen these moths (or their larger cousin from Madagascar; Argema mittrei!). Butterfly farming is a sustainable source of income for the locals in Africa.
Distinguishing Male and Female Moths
When your moths emerge; congratulations! Be amazed by the beauty of the African moon moth. Males and females are similar, but there are differences; females have thinner antennae, a larger wing surface area, and slightly shorter tails than the males - they also have a much thicker and heavier abdomen. There is colour variation in this species, although it’s subtle! The moths vary from a greenish, almost fluorescent type of yellow to a much darker and lemon-coloured type of yellow.
Mating in Captivity
Males and females do mate in captivity, although it can be tricky. It’s said they prefer warm conditions, and an environment with little artificial light. Natural pairings are the best way to approach it; handpairing this species seems to be extremely difficult compared to natural pairings that are more easy to obtain. That being said, in some cases males and females refuse to mate in captivity, even if all the conditions seem perfect. From my experience, if you do achieve a pairing, raising the caterpillars is not hard; getting them to pair is the hardest part!
Comparison with Comet Moth (Madagascan Moon Moth)
Similar in appearance to the Argema mimosae, is the giant Madagascan moon moth (Argema mittrei). Madagascan moon moth is another name for Comet Moth, scientifically known as Argema mittrei, and is among the largest species of wild silk moths.
The rainforest areas of Madagascar are the natural habitat of the Moth, and they mainly feed on the nectar of the host plants. The tail length of the male Moth is up to 15 cm, and the wingspan is about 20 cm wide.
The species was first identified and described in 1847 by Félix Édouard Guérin-Méneville. The name comet moth was given to this insect in reference to their long tails, one of their most striking features.
In terms of size, Comet moths are among the largest silk moth species in the world. Females are typically smaller than males. The male Madagascan moon moth has a wingspan of about 20 cm (7.9 inches), while the tail span measures about 15 cm (5.9 inches).
One of the most striking features of the Argema mittrei is the large eyespots on the upper and lower part of the Moth’s wings. In fact, the genus “Argema” means “speckled eye” in greek.
Comet moths are found naturally in Madagascar and nowhere else in the world. The Comet Moth’s natural habitat is the deepest part of the rainforests. However, they can also be bred in captivity.
Comet Moths are quite vulnerable because they depend on certain plants in their habitat. Today, their habitat is limited to the rainforests located south and east of Madagascar’s capital.
Feeding Habits of Comet Moth
The Madagascan Moon Moth only feeds when it is in the caterpillar stage. Females lay eggs that hatch into caterpillars between 10 to 20 days after laying the eggs.
After the caterpillar develops into an adult moth, the direct feeding stops. The caterpillar already relies on the food it has already eaten for the next few days it’ll live. Although the insect has a mouth, it has evolved not to use it over the centuries.
Eucalyptus leaves are the primary food source for the caterpillars. They may also feed on plants in the Eugenia and Weinmannia genus. Some of their preferred plants include Weinmannia eriocampa, Uapaca species, Sclerocarya caffra, and Eugenia cuneifolia. The caterpillars feed aggressively on these plants until they fill up their chitin shells tightly, after which they stop to molt. Once the old molt is removed and new skin appears, they’ll resume eating.
Lifespan and Predators
The male moth is only alive for 4-5 days. The female Moth’s lifespan is between 7 - 10 days as it may take time for them to get paired. Also, the fat content in the body the female moths is more than that of males.
Like all butterflies and moths, Comet moths have several natural enemies. These predators feed on both the caterpillars and adult insects. Chameleons, geckos, bats, and birds feed on the insect as part of their diet.
Moths have also evolved an echolocation dampening feature that protects them from insects like bats that use ultrasound for hunting food.
Are Comet Moths Dangerous?
No! Comet moths are not dangerous to humans, although the dust coating the wings and the feathery antennae of the male moths can be an allergy source for some people.
Legs of Comet Moth
There is no difference in the number of legs of Comet Moth and other species of moths. The adult Moth has three pairs of legs totaling six legs but is different from caterpillars.
The first three pairs of legs near the head of the caterpillars are referred to as the true legs, and they are similar to the adult moth’s legs.
Rarity
Yes. Comet moths are quite rare. They only exist naturally in the wild in Madagascar. Even here, they’re fast becoming depleted due to habitat loss from deforestation and agricultural activities.
