In their Entomo-Satsphingia Yahrgang 4 Heft 2, 2011, 29.06.2011 publication, Brechlin and Meister removed Automeris pelaezi, Beutelspacher, 1988, from synonymy with Automeris excreta. I believe specimens from the Pacific Coast of Mexico: Guerrero and Oaxaca, that have a more even orange ground colour in the hindwing, compared to the more strongly contrasting red and yellow found in A. excreta are more likely Automeris pelaezi which also seems to have the yellow on facing sides of the forewing lines greatly reduced compared to A. excreta. I think there is a good possibility that the specimen directly below from Guerrero, is more likely Automeris pelaezi. (Bill Oehlke).

Automeris excreta/pelaezi??, male, 93mm, Guerrero, Mexico,
courtesy of Kelly Price tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866 Tribe: Hemileucini, Grote & Robinson, 1866 Genus: Automeris, Hubner, 1819

DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris pelaezi (wingspan: males: 88mm; females: ) flies in
Mexico: Oaxaca (ESs); Guerrero (WO?).

In the Entomo-Satsphingia journal, Yahrgang 4 Heft 02 29.06.2011, Brechlin & Meister, resurrected Automeris pelaezi to full species status. It had been placed in synonymy with Automeris excreta by Lemaire in 2002.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Automeris pelaezi female, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Oaxaca, Mexico,
courtesy of Viktor Suter, via Bernhard Wenczel.

Automeris pelaezi female, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Oaxaca, Mexico,
courtesy of Viktor Suter, via Bernhard Wenczel.

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.

Automeris pelaezi eggs and hatchlings, Oaxaca, Mexico,
June 27, 2018, courtesy of Alexandre Laberge.

Automeris pelaezi first instars, Oaxaca, Mexico,
July 2, 2018, courtesy of Alexandre Laberge.

Automeris pelaezi first or second instars, ?Mexico?,
June 27, 2018, courtesy of Bart Coppens.

Automeris pelaezi second or third instars, ?Mexico?,
June 21, 2018, courtesy of Bart Coppens.

Automeris pelaezi second or third instars, ?Mexico?,
July 4, 2018, courtesy of Bart Coppens.

The head capsules seem to vary from larva to larva in the image above.

Automeris pelaezi fifth instar, Oaxaca, Mexico,
August 5, 2018, courtesy of Alexandre Laberge.

Automeris pelaezi fifth instar, Oaxaca, Mexico,
August 5, 2018, courtesy of Alexandre Laberge.

Automeris pelaezi fifth instar, Oaxaca, Mexico,
August 11, 2018, courtesy of Alexandre Laberge.

Automeris pelaezi fifth instar, Oaxaca, Mexico,
August 17, 2018, courtesy of Alexandre Laberge.

Automeris pelaezi fifth instar, Oaxaca, Mexico,
August 17, 2018, courtesy of Alexandre Laberge.

Automeris pelaezi fifth instar, Oaxaca, Mexico,
August 18, 2018, courtesy of Alexandre Laberge.

Some of the fifth instar larvae depicted above show the adbominal prolegs almost completely extended from their fleshy green ventral body projections, with each projection followed by a dark red-brown white spotted segment, followed by a thin beigey-grey ring, followed by a thicker pure black ring from which eminate the lighter orangey-brown, hooked, gripping sructures (crochets). As identification work becomes more and more difficult for adult moths, good larval images showing the prolegs, true legs and head structures might provide clues for proper identification.

Automeris pelaezi female, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Oaxaca, Mexico,
courtesy of Viktor Suter, via Bernhard Wenczel.

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.

Return to Main Saturniidae Index

Return to Automeris Genus