DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris banus banus (wingspan: males: 82(RL)-84-98mm; females: 107mm) flies in
Mexico: Veracruz, Mexico, Oaxaca, Chiapas, probably Puebla;
Belize: Cayo, Stann Creek, Toledo;
Guatemala: Alta Verapaz, Zacapa, probably Peten, Izabal (JM) and Chiquimula;
Honduras: Cortes, Olancho, Lempira, probably Yoro and in other departments at low to moderate elevations;
Nicaragua: ?? Jinotega, Matagalpa, Zelaya, Rio San Juan;
Costa Rica: Guanacaste;
Panama: Chiriqui, Cocle, and probably Veraguas;
and probably in El Salvador ? at low to moderate elevations.

Based on recent DNA barcoding analysis and the publication of many new determinations/names by Brechlin and Meister, 2011, all of the data above must be reassessed. B & M recognize A. b. banus from Mexico (Global Mirror indicates to Guanacaste, Costa Rica); they designate specimens from Nicaragua to Heredia, Costa Rica, as A. b. banumediata; they elevate A. b. argentifera to full species status from Cartago, Costa Rica; Panama; western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador; and they make no change to A. b. proxima from southwestern Ecuador.

Since the ICZN does not allow for two subspecies of the same species to be sympatric, their submissions would indicate the range of nominate banus would not extend into Nicaragua, so it is a surprise that Global Mirror reports barcoding for A. b. banus in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

I have images and data from Guatemala and Honduras that leave me confused. Those specimens should be nominate banus or banus banumediata.

Jurgen Vanhoudt reports that Automeris proxima denuda, previously synonymized with Automeris banus banus, now has full species status as Automeris denuda, with a specimen type from Panama and a range extension northward into Costa Rica. This is based on DNA barcoding analysis.

Automeris banus banus, Oaxaca, Mexico, July 2006, courtesy of Kelly Price.

The abdomen is orange, ringed with black. The forewing postmedial line is pre-apical and has some white streaks near the costa. The pupil of the hindwing eyespot is large and oval.

Visit Automeris banus male, Firmeza, Izabal, Guatemala, May, 2008, courtesy of Jose Monzon.

Visit Automeris banus faded males, La Muralla National Park, Olancho, Honduras, courtesy of Robert Lehman.

Automeris banus banus (male), Costa Rica, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in April-May, July-September and in December in Mexico, suggesting at least three broods.

Natural hosts include Attalea cohune and Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana. Larvae also feed on Gleditsia, Pyrus, Rhus and Robinia.

In Europe, Bernhard Wenczel reports Fagus silvatica, Quercus robur and Quercus thurneri x pseudothurneri are used with some success.

Automeris banus male, Xico, Veracruz, Mexico,
April 20, 2006, courtesy of James Buddenhagen,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen. Males use highly developed antennae to track the airbourne pheromone to locate the females. Soft moths expand wings in this position. Once the wings have stiffened, typical resting position is with the wings parallel to the resting surface, with the forewings completely covering the hindwings.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in large clusters or rows, sometimes of forty or more. Larvae are highly gregarious, almost inseparable in the first instar. Image by Dan Janzen.

Heads become red in the second instar. Yellow "racing stripe" is quite wide compared to the lateral line of other Automeris species.

Urticating spines offer the Automeris banus larvae much protection. Photo courtesy of Leroy Simon. The preponderance of spines is on the first two and last two abdominal segments.

Automeris banus, Costa Rica, fourth instar, courtesy of Franz Ziereis copyright.

Automeris banus fifth instar, Costa Rica, courtesy/copyright of Leroy Simon.

Listed below are the primary and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae and/or various sources. It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Attalea cohune Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana Fagus silvatica Gleditsia triacanthos Pyrus malus Quercus robur Quercus thurneri x pseudothurneri..... Rhus laurina Robinia pseudoacacia

Cohune palm/Rain tree/American oil palm Coligallo palm European beech Honeylocust Apple English oak Turner's oak Laurel sumac Black locust/False acacia

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Automeris banus banus male, 86mm, Oaxaca, Mexico,
on my home computer only.