Copaxa moinieri
Lemaire, 1974

Copaxa monieri (male) courtesy of Dan Janzen.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Genus: Copaxa, Walker, 1855

DISTRIBUTION:

Copaxa moinieri (forewing length: males: 60-62mm; females: larger) flies in
Panama: Chiriqui;
Costa Rica: Puntarenas (CL), San Jose (KW), Guanacaste (dry forest), Limon, Heredia, Alajuela (IB); and
Nicaragua: Zelaya; at elevations from 540m (KW) -2000m.

The apex is sharp and the discal spots are small. Ground colour seems less varied (more uniform) than in similar species.

Copaxa moinieri, male, Santa Rosa, Puriscal, San Jose, Costa Rica,
540m, April 7, 2006, courtesy/copyright of Kirby Wolfe.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Copaxa moinieri is multi-brooded in Costa Rica with moths on the wing in every month except December. Larvae feed on Ocotea veraguensis.

Copaxa moinieri female, courtesy of Dan Janzen.

Copaxa moinieri, female, Santa Rosa, Puriscal, San Jose, Costa Rica,
540m, April 7, 2006, courtesy/copyright of Kirby Wolfe.

Photo of Copaxa yungaskoenigoides or Copaxa moinieri?,
male courtesy of Leroy Simon,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use highly developed antennae to locate females shortly after dark by tracking the airbourne pheromone plume.

The forewings of the female are less falcate than those of the male.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Green eggs (good with ham) with yellow undersides are deposited in neat rows on host foliage. Developed larvae extricate themselves by eating a hole through the side of the egg shell.

Early instar larvae feed gregariously at leaf edges. Larvae become more solitary as they develop. All images courtesy of Dan Janzen.

Mature larvae resemble Antheraea polyphemus with their dark heads, green bodies, and burgundy anal stripe.

The cocoon is longitudially affixed to a twig, reminiscent of the Hyalophora. The cocoon is porous with an escape valve at one end.

The pupa is a light chestnut on the abdomen and a muddy grey-brown on the thorax.

Copaxa moinieri, fifth instar, courtesy of Dan Janzen, Costa Rica

Copaxa moinieri, eggs-second instar and cocoon, Santa Rosa, Puriscal, San Jose, Costa Rica,
fed on avocado, courtesy/copyright of Kirby Wolfe.

Copaxa moinieri, fifth instar, Santa Rosa, Puriscal, San Jose, Costa Rica,
fed on avocado, courtesy/copyright of Kirby Wolfe.

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.

Avocado (KW) Ocotea veraguensis........

Avocado Pububuk

Return to Copaxa genus

Return to Main Saturniidae Index