About Samia canningi Hutton, 1859
Samia canningi, commonly called the wild eri silk moth, is a moth species that belongs to the family Saturniidae. This species is distributed in south-eastern Asia and China. Its wingspan measures between 100–140 mm, which equals 3.9–5.5 inches. The larvae of Samia canningi feed primarily on Ailanthus altissima, Prunus laurocerasus, and species from the Ligustrum and Syringa genera. Pupation of this moth occurs inside a silken cocoon. Samia canningi is recognized as the wild ancestor of the domesticated moth species Samia ricini. Although Samia ricini was formally named earlier, the original protonym Saturnia canningi Hutton, 1859 has been officially ruled a conserved name, so it is not classified as a junior synonym of S. ricini.
