Copaxa muellerana
(Dyar, 1920) Agapema

Copaxa muellerana (female) courtesy of Chris Conlan.

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 Tribe: Saturniini, Boisduval, 1837 Genus: Copaxa, Walker, 1855

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DISTRIBUTION:

The uncommon Copaxa muellerana moth (wingspan: males: 98mm (KP); females: ) flies in
Mexico, mostly in the west in moderate to high elevation (2500m) oak forests.

Lemaire reports it from Distrito Federal and Puebla and it probably also flies in Morelos, Guerrero and Oaxaca. Kelly Price indicates it flies in southern Sinaloa, Mexico.

The ocellus is large and complex with a series of different coloured rings.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Throughout most of its range there is a single brood with Copaxa muellerana moths on the wing in June-July, with a possible second brood further south.

Larvae feed upon oaks (Quercus).

Male Copaxa muellerana moth.

Copaxa muellerana male, 98mm, southern, Sinaloa, Mexico,
courtesy of Kelly Price, sligh tdigital repair by Bill Oehlke.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Copaxa muellerana (female), Mexico, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae have proven extremely difficult to raise in the lab.

Image courtesy of Chris Conlan.

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.

Quercus.....

Oak

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