Hemileuca peigleri | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Saturniidae |
Genus: | Hemileuca |
Species: | H. peigleri
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Binomial name | |
Hemileuca peigleri Lemaire, 1981
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Hemileuca peigleri, the Texas buck moth, is a moth in the family Saturniidae.[1]
The male abdomen is black with a red tip, and the female abdomen is solid black. Their wings are almost transparent, with the upper side of the wing being gray with narrow black borders and a black wing base.[2] Each wing has a wide white band with a small eyespot. Their wingspan ranges from 5.8 – 8.2 cm.[2]
Their habitat consists of oak-covered hills.[2]
Adult moths of this species do not feed. Female Texas buck moths fly 10–20 feet above the ground within oak trees while males fly near the ground.[2]
Hosts of the Texas buck moth include Texas live oak (Quercus fusiformis), Havard's oak (Q. havardii), Shumard's oak (Q. shumardii), and Nuttall oak (Q. texana).[2]
Hemileuca peigleri is at times considered a subspecies of Hemileuca maia, but many authors consider it its own species.[3]