Bionomics of Antheraea assamensis

The silk obtained from muga silkworm( Antheraea assamensis Helfer,Lepidoptera,Saturniidae) cocoons has a golden luster,low yield and is relatively expensive to produce. Research on and production of muga silk is currently only done in India. Here I describe the successful artificial rearing of A. assamensis and the morphological and biological characteristics and life habits of this species. In the Xishuangbanna area of Yunnan,the muga silkworm has three or four generations a year,overwinters as pupae,and is tolerant of high-temperature and rainfall. The leaves of some Lauraceae species,such as Cinnamomum pedunculatum,Cinnamomum camphora and Litsea monopetala are palatable to the muga silkworm. The adults first appear in early mid-March and third generation adults appear in late September or early October. Under laboratory conditions( 24- 28℃,RH 80%- 95%) the egg stage lasts 8- 12 days,the larval stage 24- 35 days,the pupa stage about 30 days and adult survive for 4- 12 days.