From: Pierre@home.be (Pierre)
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.pictures.animals,alt.binaries.pictures.artpics
Subject: Butterflies - Part 9 > File 17 of 18 - PO_but_089_Rothschildia_orizaba.jpg
Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2000 10:23:23 GMT


Window-winged Saturnian

Scientific Name: Rothschildia orizaba

Common Names: Window-winged saturnian, giant silkworm moth, papillon d'obsidienne, mariposa de navajas knife moth, mariposa cuatro espejos four-mirror moth, quatro ventanas four windows

Classification
Class: Insecta
Order: L??pidoptera
Family: Saturniidae
Genus: Rothschildia
Species: orizaba

Habitat
There are 1,300 species of saturniids worldwide. These moths are found mainly in the wooded regions of Africa and South America. The giant silkworm moth variety includes 25 species ranging from Mexico to Argentina.

Profile
Giant silkworm moths, like most saturniids, are characterized by their large size and the small translucent "windows" on their wings. In fact, these windows are merely a section lacking the microscopic scales that cover the rest of the moth's wings.

These moths are not active during the day. They lie flat against tree trunks or on heaps of dead leaves, trying to escape notice. Their wings help disguise them, with their magnificent designs mainly in browns and ochres. In some species, the colouring varies with the time of year: During the dry season their wings take on pale hues, while during the rainy season they are a lovely chocolate brown.

Despite their sturdy appearance, adult giant silkworm moths live only a few days.

Their sole purpose in life is to procreate. The male's antennae are excellent detectors, allowing them to pick up the scent of a female several kilometres away.

The caterpillars of these giant moths are themselves giants, reaching up to 9 cm. They are usually protected by irritant barbs.

The caterpillars have voracious appetites, devouring the leaves of many trees and shrubs, some of which (manioc, pepper and cashews) have economic value. Once it is fully grown, the caterpillar weaves a cocoon, inside which it will complete its metamorphosis into a moth.

The Aztecs harvested these cocoons and used them to produce a kind of silk used to produce the paper for the Codex, precious books written by the learned priests accompanying the Spanish invaders, and describing the secrets of the Aztec and Mayan religions. By an odd coincidence, we learn from these books, written on silk from the giant silkworm moth caterpillar, that some Aztec gods were reincarnated as giant silkworm moths!


The Aztecs worshipped the giant silkworm moth, for they likened the transparent triangles in its wings to the obsidian knives used by high priests in human sacrifices.

They are actually unable to eat, because their mouthparts are greatly reduced or lacking entirely.

The Spanish dubbed the spiny caterpillars "azotadores," meaning "scourgers."