LONGEVITY IN SATURNIID MOTHS: AN 
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY 
PHIL RAU anp NELLIE RAU 
FIVE CHARTS 
INTRODUCTION 
The observations and experiments herein recorded upon the 
longevity of some of the Saturniid moths were undertaken in 
order to discover the value of some of the theories that have 
been advanced to account for the duration of life. Much of 
the theorizing is based upon the insufficient and inaccurate knowl- 
edge of the ages attained by different organisms and the rela- 
tion of sueh length of life to their reproductive function, as well 
as to their environmental conditions. The attempt to place our 
knowledge of the duration of life upon a scientific basis demands 
the gathering of many data on many species, and on the mated and 
unmated individuals of both sexes. 
With these needs in view we found some members of the family 
Saturniidae in sufficient numbers to suit our purpose. A more 
important reason for this choice was the fact that they have 
aborted mouth-parts, and the adult insects take no nourishment. 
This would eliminate the probabilities of curtailment of life due 
to insufficient or improper food. 
The cocoons were gathered and carefully strung to trees where 
they could be subjected to the natural changes of the weather 
conditions during the winter. Just previous to the emerging 
time they were taken into a shed, the temperature of which varied 
but little from that of the outside. The imagines were kept under 
ordinary dome-shaped, wire dish-covers, which varied from 22 
to 32 inches in circumference. 
