Abstract
Actias selene Hubner, an indigenous vanya silk moth is trivoltine in nature and undergoes 97.6±4.37 days winter pupal hibernation in the climatic conditions of Nagaland, India. The worm is polyphagous in nature and feeds on six host plants, among which rearing was conducted on two host plants, namely, Alnus nepalensis (Alder) and Rhus javanica (Tangmo) in three rearing seasons (March-May, July-August and October-December) for two consecutive years. Each larval instar of A. selene worms has a distinct body colour and tubercular arrangement. On the basis of host plant preference they also exhibit seasonal variation in production parameters (Fecundity, Hatching percentage, ERR percentage and Cocoon/Dfls ratio), life cycle parameters (Duration) and cocoon parameters (Length, Breadth, Weight, Shell weight and Shell ratio). The cocoon has, apparently, no sericultural value, but reelable cocoons with a filament length (mts), filament denier (d) and raw silk recovery (%) of 78.1±4.41-198.82±, 5.09-11.57 and 41.57-58.86% and 86.84±5.40-163.22±8.56, 6.67-8.85 and 35.63-43.32% on Rhus javanica and Alnus nepalensis, respectively, in different rearing seasons are described for the first time.
