DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris paraxigua (wingspan: males: 101-119mm; females: 105-135mm) flies in
Nicaragua: Rio San Juan: Dos Bocas Camp, collected by Pierre Schmit, 2002-05-06, 1185m;
1100m;
Costa Rica: Heredia: Braulio Carillo National Park, May 1999, 500m.

This species is named "paraxigua" for its great resemblance to Automeris exigua in size and pattern. However, the forewing of paraxigua is a bit more falcate, and the am line is less irregular, more oblique, meeting the inner margin more proximate to the pm line. I do not see enough of a difference to make determinations easy between exigua and paraxigua.

Automeris paraxigua male (verso), Rio Indio, Rio San Juan, Nicaragua,
April 15, 2004, courtesy of Jean-Michael Maes,
id by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in Nicaragua and Costa Rica in April (JMM) and May (Mirror).

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.

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.

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