Unless otherwise specified, numerical (metric) data was based on single normal individual in this chapter, and the fluorescence tests are only valid for naked eye vision.

Ova (Figs 4, 8A)

Tri-axial ellipsoid, ca. 3.71 mm (length) × 3.32 mm (width) × 2.18 mm (height) (Fig. 4A–D). The micropylar zone is relatively flat, the external formation of rosette is combined by polygonal imprints of follicle cells (Fig. 4F, G). Other areas of the exochorion covered reticular crests [chorionic sculptures], walls generally heighted in ca. 18.7–30.4 μm and widened to ca. 27.1–34.8 μm, the begirded regions shaped into irregular subcircles with comparatively smooth surfaces in most cases (Fig. 4E), but in the circumferential zone of the ovum (except the micropylar zone) (Fig. 4B, C), some of such fragments and their walls formed into special spongiform (Fig. 4H), decorated as darker color (Figs 4A, 8A). The aeropyles (widths = ca. 2.32–12.1 μm) dispersedly located at intersections of the network except the micropylar part (Fig. 4E). Aeropyle crowns (widths = ca. 16.6–37.9 μm) are not fully developed (incomplete or missing) and only localized to the vertices of the spongy polygons (Fig. 4I). The hydrophilic ovum shell is colored mostly opaque white under dry conditions, but becomes translucent after being sprayed with water causing the internal embryo to be visible (Fig. 4A), while the aeropyles are the major pathways for water desorption possibly (Fig. 4E). The chorionic interior is multihole mainly superimposed by lichen-like fillers (Fig. 4J), such minute lobes are hung loosely in more external (Fig. 4K), and stacked densely as multiple tiers in more internal (Fig. 4L). Chorionic thicknesses (excluding reticular crests and micropylar zone) are ca. 44.3–48.2 μm. The glue secreted from adult accessory glands [colleterial glands] for affixing the ova is diluted into clear honey brown color, inconspicuously concentrated on the bottom external surface which contacts the vegetation; other areas seemed clean and without glue.

Larvae

L₁ (Figs 3, 5–7, 8A–C)

Head capsule is 1.78 mm width with shiny black appearance, whose anteclypeus is gray and longitudinally folded. Bearing 17 pairs of longer primary setae namely P1, P2, L1, AF1, AF2, F1, C1, C2, A1, A2, A3, O1, O2, O3, SO1, SO2 and SO3, they are pointed and with a smooth surface and sometimes slightly helical-shaped (Fig. 5A, D, E), seta P1 is the longest (length = 1.16 mm), seta F1 (length = 182.5 μm) is the shortest. There are 4 other pairs of minute primary setae (lengths = ca. 7.4–8.1 μm) erectly, i.e., MD1, MD2, MD3 and G1 which ended with rounded apexes (Fig. 5A, B, J). A total of 10 pairs of primary pores appeared on the head capsule, coded as Pb, La, AFa, Aa? [Pa?], Fa, Oa, Ob, SOa, MDa, and Ga (Fig. 5A–E), among them, the pores Fa (width = 21.1 μm), Ob (width = 16.6 μm) and SOa (width = 24.7 μm) are slight raised (e.g., Fig. 5L), other ones are flat-bottomed or bowl pits with widths of ca. 9.4–12.5 μm (e.g., Fig. 5K, M–P), the deepest depression is pore Ga. A case was found that the sites of pores Pb are asymmetric, i.e., in the same specimen, they are respectively located on the inferolateral and superolateral sides to setae P2, but the former condition is normal. In addition, a few secondary setae and pores could be asymmetrically observed in individuals. S1 (width = 47.7 μm), S2 (width = 46.3 μm), S3 (width = 58.9 μm), S4 (width = 50.3 μm), S5 (width = 48.1) and S6 (width = 46.7 μm) have multiporous surface (e.g., Fig. 5I), their anisotropic wrinkles have observed on dry exuviae and alcohol-preserved specimens (Fig. 5A), but unclear if living larvae have the same feature. S1 and S6 are flatter, whereas S3 is the most elevated.

The antennal sclerites are mostly dark maroon linked with light gray antacoriae. The 2^nd antennal segment is multiporous and elongated peanut-shaped, whose lower part of the sclerotized wall is embossed with slight reticular crests forming dense polygons, its longish ChS1 (length = 372.2 μm) and ChS2 (length = 90.7 μm) dotted dispersedly with tiny wall-pores (more obvious on ChS2) and standing lateroapically (Fig. 6A–C). Of the segment, BaS1 is dorsoapical, BaS2 and BaS3 are ventroapical, CaS1 (width = 13.2 μm) is lateroproximal (Fig. 6D), CaS2 and CaS3 (widths = ca. 4.5–4.9 μm) are lateroapical. Relatively, the 1^st and 3^rd segments of antenna have fewer pores on the walls, the latter is implanted distal BaS4, BaS5, BaS6 and StS (Fig. 6B, C). Antennal BaS1, BaS2 and BaS4 showing fingerprint-like surfaces (lined pores) and rounded tips with similar lengths of ca. 20.2–25.4 μm, alike epicuticle also observed on BaS3, BaS6 and BaS5, but the former two owning varying degrees of forky apexes (BaS3 usually has 2–4 forks and asymmetrically presents in a specimen, BaS6 is always bifurcated) with respective maximum lengths of 15.6 μm and 8.7 μm, BaS5 is an elevated pimple in 5.8 μm height. The external surface of uniporous StS (length = 18.0 μm) is smoother, exhibiting sharp or uni/bis-papilliform terminals.

The labral anterior surface is sepia, shiny, arrayed primary setae L1, L2, L3, M1, M2 and M3 in pairs with plane ends, seta M2 is the longest with 204.4 μm length and other ones are ca. 84.7–178.5 μm. The primary pores Ma, Mb and Mc are ca. 9.5–16.11 μm widths, the sizes one by one incrementally (Fig. 5F). The labral posterior surface [epipharynx] is off-white principally but the mid-notch [groove] is sepia. Except the smooth margin, other area covered by white and short denticulations densely, exhibiting pointed and flatted setae M4, M5 and L4 (lengths = 82.9–93.4 μm), with a digitiform seta L5 in size ca. 56.8 μm (length) × 24.3 μm (width), they are aporous. Symmetrically paired pores Md, Me and Mf are obvious, the latter is the biggest up to 17.5 μm width, while other two are reduced to ca. 12.3–14.0 μm (Fig. 5G). Setae L1–5 and M1–5 are clear brown, pores Ma-f are campaniform.

Each mandible has 6 teeth (4 outer and 2 inner), primarily bears a pair of neighboring setae L1 (length = 295.9 μm) and L2 (length = 134.2 μm), with a pimple-like pore La (width = 27.8 μm) which is surrounded by dense subcircular pits. The posterior condyle [postartis] is a prominent smooth knob (Fig. 5F, H).

The weakly sclerotized cardo is nearly a semicircle, the stipes forms a “Ͱ” shaped sclerite whose longer margin is lying medially and the arm points to the lateral side, its anterior and posterior edges respectively array the primary setae L1 (length = 202.2 μm) and L2 (length = 213.3 μm). Setae M1 (length = 218.3 μm) and M2 (length = 90.2 μm) could be invariably found on the apical margin of the incomplete annular sclerites, separately belongs to the palpifer and the 1^st maxillary palpal segment; the latter has a striate-wrinkled top and connecting with the maxillary mesal lobe [galea], their medial junction zone (facing to the hypopharynx) is membranous and placing many toothed setae (Figs 6E, 7A–C). The sclerotized walls encircling maxillary palpus and mesal lobe are distally multiporous, the apical membranes of the latter and the 2^nd–3^rd segments of the former are knot-wrinkled (Fig. 7B, G, I). Maxillary palpal CaS1–4 are lateral, thereinto CaS1 and CaS2 are pits while CaS3 (height = 1.8 μm) is elevated, but both forms are applicable to CaS4 (Fig. 7A, C, D, H). Each maxillary palpus ended with BaS1–8 (lengths = ca. 5.2–5.6 μm) which have rounded tips and many campaniform olfactory pores (Fig. 7G). Dorsal sensilla of the 3^rd maxillary palpal segment are rough, PlS1, PlS2 and PlS3 in widths of ca. 5.4–7.2 μm always surround the lateral to proximal sides of DiS (length = 11.8 μm; widths = 6.6 μm), distal morphology of the latter is alterable with 2–4 slight apical forks in different individuals and sometimes showing a sagittal concave midline (e.g., Fig. 7E, F). Each maxillary mesal lobe arranging flat-topped ChS1, ChS2 and ChS3 from the lateral to medial, they are multiporous but such perforations of the former are more obvious and on the latter two are thinner. The lengths of ChS1 are unstable and the measurements based on a single specimen are 54.7 μm and 84.9 μm, ChS2 and ChS3 are special chisel shaped and ca. 37.8–41.2 μm lengths. The elevated basal columns of StS1 and StS2 are relatively smooth (less pores) with lengths of ca. 23.6–27.8 μm, their terminal dome topped cones are morphologically look like the maxillary palpal BaS1–8, but lengthened to ca. 8.3–9.0 μm (Fig. 7I) with finer pores. For each maxillary mesal lobe, BaS1 is terminally uniporous and tapered (length = 14.2 μm), while BaS2 is rough and reduced to a small wart (height = 3.4 μm), and, an indeterminate shaped CaS (in the same larva, respectively crater-like and spine-like) was fixedly observed on the ventroapical margin and located close to StS1 (Fig. 7B, H). On the ventral area is a very large subcircle forming a slight protrusion with weak wave-like margins marked as CaS? (Fig. 7H), it is aporous and seems to only be observed at specific angles with certain light conditions, and its function is unclear.

The postmentum [submentum] is smooth and membranous largely, the proximolateral sclerite [submentales] is adjacent with the maxillary cardo, primary seta V1 (length = 104.1 μm) is close to the border with the mentum, the latter is a semicircular membrane covered by minute noncellular processes (Fig. 6E, F). The prementum [stipulae] is lyre-shaped with most areas membranous, but a crescent sclerite is inlaid proximally of the posterior surface which abutted with the mentum, primary seta V2 (length = 14.6 μm) is smooth and rounded. Campaniform pores Va, Vb and Vc are ca. 4.9–5.4 μm widths, always present on the posterolateral area of the prementum (Fig. 6F). The cleft spinneret is fleshy and semitransparent, whose linguiform medial lobes [glossae] are hirsute and the pliciform lateral lobes [paraglossae] are fine-grained surfacely (Fig. 6G, H). The distance between the two labial palpi is 238.8 μm, each of them dotted with many micropores but more remarkable on the lateral TrS (length = 47.2 μm) and medial StS, the basal and setal parts of latter are respectively 16.5 μm and 68.0 μm lengths (Fig. 6G). The distal area of the hypopharynx is smooth but the posterior lingua is covered by numerous spines (Fig. 6I, J).

The setal map and related statistics are provided here (Fig. 3; Table 1). Grounded with bright yellow on T₁–A₁₀ generally but the cervacoria and venter are lower saturation. The dorsal area of T₁ dotted with three black spots, one shown betweenthe pair of scoli XD-III and other two exhibited on the dorsolateral respectively. Each of T₂–A₈ decorated two black dots along the dorsal midline, these segments have also lateral black stripes between the levels D and L. Level SV of A₉ lying a big black dapple on each side (divided along the dorsal and ventral midlines), while the anal shield, and the lateral surface of each proleg A₁₀ appearing as a large black patch shaping nearly semicircular, the latter structure distributed 13–18 bristles on the posterior to ventral margin. All thoracic and abdominal setae are translucent, to be the longest on scoli L-III of T₁. Scoli XD-III, D-III, and SD-III bear stout brown to black setae and the latter two have significantly elevated bases; other chalazae/scoli are developed with white setae. A pair of scoli D-III are medially fused on A₈, whose fusional characteristic is similar to the case of scoli XD-III and SD-III on the anterior margin of prothoracic shield on each side. Spiracle T₁ is the largest whereas spiracles A_1–8 are relatively small, all brownish colors. The paired sclerites of coxae are unclosed annular shaped and medially fused on T₁. Coxal setae L1 and L2 are respectively located on the antero/postero-terminal areas of the sclerite, other primary setae coded as M1, M2 and M3. The femur apically bears setae M4 and M5; each tibia has 6 setae labeled M6, M7, M8, M9, L3 and L4. On the top of the tarsus, setae M10, M11 and M12 are widened with slight longitudinal crests, seta L5 is a weak hair (Fig. 6K). A thick basal lobe is displayed on the pretarsus (Fig. 6L), sometimes there are secondary [subprimary?] setae occurring on legs T_1–3 (e.g., Fig. 6K). The plantae of prolegs are rosybrown in lateral view, each of them arranged dark maroon crochets in uniserial heteroideous mesoseries, the numbers are 23–27 (A_3–6) and 26–29 (A₁₀), such hooks have solid insides and longitudinally plicated epicuticle (Fig. 6M).

L₂ (Fig. 8D–F)

The primary chaetotaxy and related fusions are unchanged to L₁. The head capsule (width = 2.61 mm) turned into sepia color with darker ocellar area. The antennal sclerotized parts are sienna connecting with golden antacoriae, the labrum, anteclypeus and frontoclypeus are bronzed. The cervacoria is lemon, the integumentary ground color of thorax-abdomen is largely pure or yellowish green but T₁ is always paler, the prothoracic shield (with scoli XD-III and SD-III) is gradually changing to light yellow with aquamarine scoli L-III. Chalazae SV-I of A_1–2 and scoli SV-III and are blue to yellow-green, other scoli L-III, SD-III, and all scoli D-III owning ultramarine to blueviolet bases in smooth, but the proximal halves of the latter two borne on T₂–A₈ have shiny silvery appearance, the maximum size always showing on scoli SD-III of A_2–7. Some setae are elongated to form clubbed tips which displayed on scoli XD-III of T₁, scoli D-III of T₂ (sometimes T_2–3) and A_2–9, as well as on all scoli SD-III and L-III, such special bristles lengthened on scoli D-III of T₂ to be longer than any others. Since this larval instar, secondary hairs beginning to obviously emerge from the cephalic regions and the venter of T₁–A₁₀, accompanied by the harder observing on chalazae D-I, L-I, V-I and partial SV-I. Spiracles are surrounded by amber integumentary edges. The sclerites of legs T_1–3 are sepia, the distolateral surfaces of proleg bases of A_3–6 developed many black dots with secondary setae, while prolegs A₁₀ also stretched multidirectionally their marginal bristles. The lateral plate of each anal proleg is dyed with posterior ochre, central black and anterior yellow (sometimes displaying only the former two colors), the latter two colors usually corresponding multi-pitted surfaces, the feature similarly arises in the yellowish triangular area of the anal shield. The plantar colors of prolegs A_3–6 and A₁₀ are the same as L₁, but the crochets rowed into uniserial homoideous mesoseries with the quantities of 26–30.

L₃ (Fig. 8G, H)

General morphology close to L₂, but the head capsule is paler and widened to 3.73 mm. The flash basal parts have enlarged the volume further on scoli SD-III of A_2–7, especially. Supplemented long setae with club-like apexes on scoli D-III of T₃–A₁, as well as on chalazae SV-I of A_1–2 and scoli SV-III. Dense coryneform bristles initiating to present on the posterior zones of the middorsal A_2–6, colored as yellow vividly; they are minute and cross a transverse row combined by longer and pointed setae in the same color but borne on the anterior zones of A_3–7. Tricolored lateral plates of prolegs A₁₀ observed in most of L₂ now shared in all individuals. More secondary hairs are exhibited principally on ventral integument. Some of them are based on dollar spots, such dots originating since L₂ are now widely distributed to level L, gradually colored from black to light brown. The marginal setae of A₁₀ are pronouncedly elongated and orientated to the posterior side. The numbers of 50–55 crochets arranged as biordinal mesoseries on each planta.

L₄ (Fig. 8I–L)

The macroscopic pattern is essentially same as L₃, but the 5.47 mm width head capsule begins to appear more yellowish in proportions, mainly enriched on its ventrolateral and frontal zones, but the dark sepia strip ornamented on ocellar areas are still visible. The color of cervacoria is more vivid, slanted, parallel dark olive-green streaks arising between the levels SD and L of A_1–8. For T₂–A₁₀, the venter is clearly darker than dorsa, the dense dark spots are developing to the level SD with some secondary hairs, and the coxal apexes of legs T_2–3 are colored lightly like T₁. The clubbed setal apexes already occur on the longer bristles on prolegs, starting from this instar, each lateral plate of anal prolegs shows a very minute black dot on the yellow tint area with relatively fixed position, and each lateral margin of the anal shield formed into vitreum, enveloping an internal dark brown band. Plantar crochets are still biordinal mesoseries but increased to numbers of 54–60. Take L₄ as an example, for a fresh larva or during the pre-molting, the oblate setal tip could be seen white translucent, whereas the silver-reflective zones of scoli are transparent just after ecdysis but fully colored after approximately about 18–22 hours (Fig. 8I, L).

L₅ (Fig. 8M–P)

Head capsule (width = 7.33 mm) is paler distinctly, but the distribution patterns of colors are basically the same as L₄. The cephalic setae are more strongly developed, the dotted integument reaching the level D and all the secondary hairs turned into brownish to black with longer sizes. Parallel oblique stripes lying around spiracles A_1–8 are more evident, each spiracle is outlined by pale aquamarine margin. Scoli XD-III and SD-III on each side of prothoracic shield are highly fuse to be a unified base outwardly. The band inlaid inside the vitric margin of anal shield is now darker. The shining silvery bases of scoli D-III of T₂–A₉, and SD-III of T₂–A₈ are already spectacular (largest on scoli SD-III of A_2–7 still), their epicuticles are extraordinary smooth in stark contrast to the green integument, the latter is densely covered noncellular processes (Fig. 8O, P). Proleg plantae are surfaced with lateral dark gray and medial white with 61–64 crochets in biordinal mesoseries. Each of the lateral plates of prolegs A₁₀ is constituted by the wrinkled bright yellow-green area, the smooth dark ochre posterior margin, and a narrow black stripe between the former two.

L₆ (Figs 8Q, R, 9, 10)

The final larval instar with giant body, head capsule is 10.32 mm width and the overall color pattern is near L₅ but more pallid (Fig. 9C, G). Combined with the high-saturation goldenrod cervacoria and the pale lemon coxae, the front margin of T₁ forms a bright yellow annular zone, which showed intensely fluorescent enrichment under the excitation by UV 365 nm (Figs 9G, 10B). Fluorescence was not detected in the flash bases with the clubbed setae (Fig. 10C), but weakly appeared on the yellow-green regions of the central anal shield and the lateral plates of prolegs A₁₀ (Fig. 10D), the wrinkles of the latter are more obvious than those during the prior stage (Fig. 9E). Both scoli XD-III and SD-III have different numbers of primary setae during L_2–5 which appeared as short spines, but all of these are elongated into hair-like now (Fig. 9C, G). Similar to L_2–5, for all scoli, only partial setae on T₁–A₉ have clubbed tips (Fig. 9M–T), statistic on the single larva displayed that most setal quantities of the corresponding sites are same as L₁, but that on 12 scoli are decreased and 2 scoli are increased (Table 2). The rod-like part of the clubbed seta is smooth helical, the flaky end is paved by shallow pits densely but strongly reflection (Fig. 8Q, R). There is a significant difference in general integumentary color, i.e., 2 ♀♀ are more yellowish than 3 ♂♂, and the shiny scoli of females are tending to be purple-red but that of males look more purple-blue (Figs 9M–T, 10A). Observed the male sexual gland [“Herold’s gland”] to be a slight mark localizing on ventral midline near to A₈/A₉ boundary (Fig. 9K), the female sexual gland [“Ishiwata’s gland”] arising as two pairs of dots on ventral A₈ and A₉ (Fig. 9L). Distinguished from L₅, the dark spots are added to the middorsal area except the prothoracic shield, and the secondary hairs are increased on the whole body at present, but except the sizes, the glassy margins of anal shield as well as the spiracles are morphologically almost unchanged (Fig. 9F, H). Vesicular processes were observed on the distomedial areas of each tibia and tarsus, and all the medial setae (both primary and secondary) of legs T_1–3 form white thick spines (Fig. 9I), unfortunately, it lacked a leg observation for L_2–5. Plantae of A_3–6 and A₁₀ bear 59–65 crochets within biordinal mesoseries (e.g., Fig. 9J). The liquid feces after feeding ended (all larval instars fed from Q. yunnanensis) is bronzed mucus (Fig. 10E), after that, 1 ♂ was recorded the weight as 14.77 g.

Pupae (Figs 11, 12C)

The epicuticle is dark maroon to black except the translucent epicranial plate [frontoclypeus]. Females are larger (lengths: 3 ♂♂ = 40.58 mm, 39.64 mm, 38.68 mm; 2 ♀♀ = 42.63 mm, 44.48 mm) and heavier (weights of during overwintering diapause, measured on 06 Feb. 2023: 3 ♂♂ = 8.16 g, 7.46 g, 7.54 g; 2 ♀♀ = 9.29 g, 8.51 g) than males. The antennal margins in females are more flattened than males, the pair of antennae of the latter are not medially touching along the ventral midline, the maxillae and legs T_1–2 are visible in both sexes (Fig. 11C, E). Spiracles T₁ is gapped on the boundary of T₁/T₂ (Fig. 11F), spiracle A_2–7 are functional and large, but that of A₈ is closed as a remnant. A pair of forewing tubercles [adult spurs] is rendered on the dorsolateral areas of T₂ specifically (Fig. 11F). The biserial larval scoli D-III had been reduced to smooth vestiges on pupal stage, in only one case that such bulges on T₃–A₄ are obvious (Fig. 11H). The unsclerotized joints are junction zones between A₄/A₅, A₅/A₆, and A₆/A₇, the tip of A₁₀ is rounded without cremaster (Fig. 11G). Genital pores are navel-shaped scars apertured midventrally for males (A₉) and females (A₈ [ostium bursae] and A₉ [ostium oviductus]) (Fig. 11B, D).

Cocoons (Figs 10F, G, 12)

Large (max-lengths without peduncles: 3 ♂♂ = 63.49 mm, 52.14 mm, 56.44 mm; 2 ♀♀ = 50.37 mm, 60.41 mm), single layered (thicknesses = ca. 0.37–1.16 mm) and fully closed (no pre-formed exit), the external part was woven by floss for attaching to leaves (Fig. 10G), the general shape is irregular polyhedron but the silky pupal cell is prolate spheroid. White colored in dry environment (weak fluorescence under UV 365 nm, barely visible) but metamorphosing into brown tones in wet (fluorescence disappeared). 2 ♂♂ and 1 ♀ spun on erect vegetations with wide and loose peduncles of inferior structure (e.g., Figs 10F, 12A–C), 1 ♂ and 1 ♀ spun cocoons within fallen leaves and branches on the ground without peduncle (e.g., Fig. 12D). Each filament is a double-strand flat belt, wrinkles formed by longitudinal stretching could be observed on epi-sericin (Fig. 12F), the part of fibroin is combined by dense elongated fibers longitudinally to be almost non-porous within (less voids) (Fig. 12E). Microscopically surveyed three pieces (ca. 6.5–8.4 mm²) of silk-layer sliced from random sites of a cocoon, showing the external surface is rougher, the filaments are ca. 83.8–94.4 μm wide and ca. 4.7–9.3 μm thick (Fig. 12H). The internal surface [pupal cell] is smooth and flat relatively, widths of the filaments are ca. 56.4–92.8 μm with the thicknesses of ca. 2.3–3.9 μm (Fig. 12I). Many crystals (mainly calcium oxalate) granulated from the prepupal discharge liquor are scattered or concentrated in the silk-layer (Fig. 12G), due to gravity, the precipitation is more obvious in the outer surface of the cocoon that lies closer to the ground.

During my first expedition on Tibetan Nyingchi, 1 ♀ of A. compta was collected on 28 Jun. 2021 from Mêdog 2122 m (Fig. 2), her 60 ova were hatched into 37 larvae in the experimental site in Kunming City of Yunnan Province, 1940 m, during mid Jul. to early Aug., these fresh L₁ rejected any Lauraceae, i.e., Cinnamomum camphora, Cinnamomum burmannii, Machilus spp., Lindera sp., Neolitsea sp., Litsea pungens and Litsea populifolia, moreover, Magnolia delavayi (Magnoliaceae), Prunus cerasoides (Rosaceae), Salix babylonica (Salicaceae) and Liquidambar formosana (Altingiaceae) were likewise not accepted. Finally, three individuals nibbled the leaves of Quercus variabilis and Q. yunnanensis, but only one grew into the 3^rd pre-molting with the latter, and because it was reared outdoors without a cage, this larva was preyed upon by a Myophonus caeruleus (Aves: Passeriformes, Muscicapidae).

After the first failed attempt, I recaptured 3 ♀♀ adults with some males (Fig. 1) from the same natural habitat; during the rainy nights of 25–26 Jun. 2022, many large Quercus lamellosa were noticed at the site. Successively, 3 (coded as Gi, laid on 26 Jun.), 102 (coded as Gii, laid on 25 Jun.-01 Jul.) and 16 (coded as Giii, laid on 26–30 Jun.) eggs severally into paper envelopes. Each of Gi and Giii was oviposited naturally into a single tier without longitudinal accumulation, Gii was the same condition in the early period but later heaped up to lump because of larger quantity and lack of available space for adult abdomen. The material was brought back to the same site in Kunming indoor and then grouped on three mesh pieces, a cotton pad was placed below with interval ca. 1 cm, water sprayed the ova every day, the circumambient air was ca. 17–21 °C with ca. 80–95% RH. This method helped prevent water from accumulating around the eggs; excess water drained through the mesh openings to the cotton pad below, while the space between helped ventilate the bottom of the eggs to prevent mold.

At Beijing Time 06:00 to 16:00 every day, 3 larvae of Gi hatched on 13 Jul. (ovum period 17 days), 81 larvae of Gii hatched during 12–19 Jul. (ordered as: 10, 27, 12, 5, 15, 6, 5, 1; ovum period 17–18 days) and 14 larvae of Giii hatched during 13–18 and 20 Jul. (ordered as: 3, 4, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1; ovum period 17–18 or 20 days, but the last individual was unhealthy and died on the day of hatching). Newly hatched L₁ usually fed on eggshells preferentially. Checking unhatched material on 31 Jul., 17 ova of Gii and 1 ovum of Giii were devoid of embryonic development and shriveled; mature embryos had died in 4 ova of Gii and 1 ovum of Giii.

Fresh L₁ were moved to a semi-open balcony for rearing, without cage protection. The plant stems were inserted into the bottle filled with water, and the bottleneck blocked with paper towels to prevent larval drowning. Some newly hatched individuals did not bite the leaves of Quercus schottkyana and Magnolia denudata within two days, so all larvae were given Q. yunnanensis, which was readily accepted. These caterpillars had weak positive phototaxis, usually did not climb to the apex of host plant and did not exhibit gregarious behavior, but there were often 2–5 scattered L₁ on a single leaf. They rested on the undersides of the leaves and moved to the edges only when feeding, if a branch had fresh terminal buds and thick mature leaves, newly hatched larvae did not distinguish between them, as they are perfectly capable of gnawing on harder leaves, which is apparently related to their larger head with powerful mandibular adductors. Although they did not have strict requirements for air humidity during the larval stage (kept in ca. 64–98% RH), the temperature should not exceed 28 °C, otherwise the larvae will die in large numbers. When the environment reached 26 °C, they usually unclasped the legs T_1–3 and prolegs A_3–5 from host plant and suspended in air to enhance ventilation for heat dissipation. This may cause many larvae to fall to the ground. The whole larval stage accompanied a strong need for drinking water, and the leaves must be sprayed with water several times each day to ensure normal development of caterpillars, except on rainy days.

A. compta is a rather difficult species to rear in captivity with a very high mortality in L₁, in this study, only four individuals of Giii and five of Gii survived to the 1^st pre-molting. However, two larvae within the latter group died during pharate and two died in early L₂. In the five surviving L₂, the individual “Giii1” was caged in outdoor and other four still fed semi-openly, until they cocooned respectively. Although the weather and nutritional conditions are identical, ontogenic time-consumptions are quite different in the same gender (Table 3).

Before entering each pre-ecdysis, larvae always moved away from their last feeding site. In late L₅ they cut the petiole to make the leaf fall to the ground or break it off completely to eliminate signs of feeding, which apparently helps to avoid some natural enemies which could find the caterpillar location by defoliation. Some individuals would sometimes entangle silk in selected locations to anchor themselves before shifting into apolysis state; such behavior was not consistent, but each of them always preferentially fed on their exuviae except the head capsule.

During L_2–3, larvae usually rested on the leaf midrib after a period of feeding of the lamina and secondary veins. For L₄ to medium L₅ they rested intermittently near the petiole and gradually nibbled along the midrib. Since late L_5, the weight only allowed the activities on branches, before feeding a new leaf, the larva often first bit a large pit on the petiole and then ate along the basal area, if necessary, gnawed more gaps on midrib for further folding the leaf apex closer to itself. For mature larvae, feeding behavior mostly occurred at night, probably to avoid detection by birds. A continuous observation on single L₆ was recorded for reference (Suppl. material 1).

All larval instars were sensitive to light, i.e., in resting states, they always faced toward the side where the illuminance is higher (Suppl. material 2), and this behavior would draw predators’ attention to the bright yellow ring on the front of T₁, whose fluorescent was sufficient to indicate it plays a role in defensive warning. These caterpillars were extremely alert, and every slight shake would interrupt the feeding behavior. Under this state, larvae usually detached their legs T_1–3 and prolegs A₃ (sometimes A_3–4) from the host plant, which may be an effective mimicry to make the lateral views more like leaves, sometimes clicking the mouthparts as a popping noise. The most alarmed individuals would swing from side to side, even triggering biting, whereas the special clubbed setae may help to enhance the spatial scope of tactile cue (Suppl. material 3). Even so, no secretions exude from the scoli under stimulated conditions, and no urticating reaction was detected on human skin after touch.

Larvae never left the host plant voluntarily if the leaves were plentiful. However, they quickly climbed or fell to the ground after feeding ended [liquid defecation] (happened at night usually), whereupon they were caged with upright living vegetation and dead leaves at the bottom for observation. Almost all individuals moved restlessly for about 24 hours before choosing a spinning location. The species undoubtedly constructs cocoons away from the host plant in the wild, either in low shrubs under the oak canopies or in the leaf litter on the ground.

The flight time in the natural habitat and captivity and reproductive behavior of adults will be recorded and published after the fresh adults emerge from existing pupae.