Abstract
A large sample of trapped adult males of Hyalophora euryalus, H. columbia gloveri, and intergrades from a hybrid zone between these taxa were scored for seven categories of wing damage. A total of 6.1% of 471 adults showed wing damage consistent with bird strikes. Among categories of wing damage, a significantly higher frequency of strikes involved the HW discal spot and the apical eye spot. Patterns of wing damage and behavior of adults when threatened were evaluated in the context of formal models of wing markings as anti-predator mechanisms. Discal spots may act to intimidate predators, while apical eye spots may deflect attacks away from the body. Certain markings are highly conserved and concordant with DNA-based saturniid phylogeny.
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