After the moth has had
ample time to dry its wings, it will then wait until dark to go off and find
a mate. This must be done rather quickly because the moth only has a life-span
of one to two weeks. Some species such as C. promethea mate in the afternoon.
If the moth is a female, she won't move much. She will wait and let the male
come to her because she has a scent gland that produces a pheromone that the
male moth can "smell" with his antennae. She extends this scent gland
from her abdomen and "calls" her mate to her.
Here you can see the
abdomen of a female Samia cynthia ricini. The object protruding from her abdomen
is her scent gland. This is what she uses to call the males into her. It produces
a pheromone that the male moth can detect with his antennae from up to a mile
away.
Here is a picture of A.
polyphemus coming into a scenting female. The female is in the cage and the
males are on the outside.
Once
the male finds a female. Mating can take place. Depending on the species, mating
can take anywhere from a few hours to a day. Just make sure not to disturb
them during this process and all will go well.
