Copaxa troetschi
Druce, 1886

Copaxa troetschi male courtesy of Dan Janzen.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke.
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

DISTRIBUTION: Copaxa troetschi (wingspan: males: 93-103mm; females: // forewing length: males: 51-56mm; females:) flies in northern Panama: Chiriqui; Cocle (TS) Costa Rica: Puntarenas and Guanacaste (CL), and Limon (IB) and San Jose (KW); and southern Nicaragua: Zelaya; at elevations of 200-1300 meters above sea level. Image courtesy of D. Janzen, Costa Rica. It is very difficult to distinguish this species from decrescens which flies in southeastern Brazil, but troetschi males have a more pronounced forewing apex. Some males have extensive orange scaling.

Copaxa troetschi male, 93mm, Rio Indio Lodge, Cocle, Panama,
August 19, 2012, 575m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard, id by Bill Oehlke.

Copaxa troetschi male, 103mm, Rio Indio Lodge, Cocle, Panama,
August 19, 2012, 575m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard, id by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are at least two generations annually. The moth probably broods continuously with three-four month cycles. Kirby Wolfe reports a June flight in Costa Rica. Terry Stoddard reports an August flight in Panama.

Copaxa troetschi female

The female Copaxa troetschi moth has wider, less falcate forewings compared to the male.

Copaxa troetschi male, Santa Rosa, Puriscal, San Jose, Costa Rica,
June 21, 2009, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

Copaxa troetschi male, La Gamba, Puntarenas, Costa Rica,
courtesy of Gernot Kunz, 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.

Copaxa troetschi male, Cerro Saslaya, Zelaya, Nicaragua,
April 1999, 700m, courtesy of Jean-Michel Maes.

Copaxa troetschi female, Cerro Saslaya, Zelaya, Nicaragua,
April 1999, 700m, courtesy of Jean-Michel Maes.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Pupation is in a porous cocoon affixed longitudinally to a twig.

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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