DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris frankae (wingspan: males: mm; females: mm) flies in
Mexico: Chiapas: Ocosingo, 1993-08-01;
Mexico: Nayarit??;
Mexico: Oaxaca: San Gabriel de Mixtepec, 2000-07-01, both females (Mirror).

The collecting data for Nayarit, Mexico, is believed to be in error. This species probably only flies in Oaxaca and Chiapas in southern Mexico.

More recent (January 2014) communication from Jurgen Vanhoudt indicates that Ron Brechlin has indicated stock coming from Sinaloa, Mexico, is frankae, so this species probably has a more northerly range than first thought, and the Nyarit data may also be correct.

Visit comparison chart to help distinguish between maeonia, adusta, wenczeli, nogueiria and frankae.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in Mexico in July-August (Mirror). There are probably additional flight months.

Host plants are as yet unknown.

Automeris frankae female, Nayarit??, Mexico,
on my home computer only.

Automeris frankae female, Mexico,
courtesy/copyright Franz Ziereis,
id revised from A. maeonia by Bill Oehlke.

Automeris frankae female, Sinaloa, Mexico,
courtesy/copyright Jurgen Vanhoudt.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use their more highly developed antennae to seek out females who release an airbourne pheromone into the night sky.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters of 6-40+ on hostplant twigs. Larvae have urticating spines and are gregarious, especially in the early instars. Jurgen Vanhoudt reports success on Robinia pseudoacacia.

Automeris frankae larva, , Mexico,
courtesy of Viktor Suter

Automeris frankae cocoons, Sinaloa, Mexico,
courtesy of Jurgen Vanhoudt

Automeris frankae cocoons, Sinaloa, Mexico,
courtesy of Jurgen Vanhoudt

Larval Food Plants

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.

Robinia pseudoacacia (JV) .......

Black Locust

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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

I am not aware of the source for Automeris, The species name, "frankae", is honourific for a girl or woman named Frank or Franka.