DISTRIBUTION:

The Automeris incarnata moth (wingspan: males: 54-63mm; females: 68-82mm) flies in
Venezuela: Miranda, Aragua, Carabobo, Zulia, Barinas, Merida;
Colombia: Magdalena, Tolima, Huila, Choco; and
Panama: Chiriqui.

This species looks like A. cecrops, but it is significantly smaller with a less elongated forewing, and the postmedian line is preapical.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in May, August-September and December in Venezuela, suggesting three broods.

Automeris incarnata larvae feed on Eucalyptus, Fagus, Laburnum, Malus and Robinia pseudoacacia. Marc Fischer reports a successful rearing on oak.

Automeris incarnata larvae, on oak, courtesy of Marc Fischer.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Photo of female courtesy of Bernhard Jost.

Automeris incarnata female, Venezuela, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters of 6-40+ on hostplant twigs. Gregarious larvae have urticating spines.

In the final instar, larval length and girth increase substantially and larvae tend to become less gregarious. mature larvae have both yellow and green forms.

The pupae is usually fastened at the cremaster to the inside of the flimsy cocoon. The narrow antennae outline on pupal shell indicates pupa (right by Bernhard Jost) is a female. Females (pupae) tend to be considerably larger than males.

Automeris incarnata larva by Viktor Suter, courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

Automeris incarnata fifth instar, Venezuela, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae. 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.

Eucalyptus Fagus Laburnum Ligustrum vulgare TD Malus Quercus MF Robinia pseudoacacia.....

Eucalyptus Beech Bean tree Privet Apple Oak Black locust/False acacia

Return to Main Index

Return to Automeris Genus

Automeris incarnata larva, copyright protected, courtesy of Thibaud Decaens.

Larva reared on Ligustrum vulgare.