DISTRIBUTION:

Eacles imperialis decoris (wingspan: males: 108-141mm; females: 123-150-167mm (RL)) flies in
Honduras: Atlantida, Cortés (San Pedro Sula), Francisco Morazán, Olancho, Yoro (RDC);
Guatemala: Ciudad de Guatemala and Alta Verapaz and (Izabal (JM));
El Salvador: San Salvador;
Nicaragua: Nueva Segovia, Madriz, Jinotega, Matagalpa, Boaco, Masaya, Granada, Chontales, Zelaya, Rio San Juan;
Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Heredia, Alajuela (IB);
and in Mexico: Etat de Mexico, Jalisco, Colima, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Quintana Roo: Puerto Morelos (GAR). It has also been confirmed in
Belize: Cayo and Toledo. Of the two (possibly three or more) Eacles imperialis subspecies found in Costa Rica, Dan Janzen writes, "free-flying wild rain forest males (decoris) are slightly larger with slightly more falcate forewing tips than are free-flying wild dry forest males." A smaller subspecies. Eacles imperialis hallwachsae has a very pointed, produced forewing apex.

Eacles imperialis decoris male, Mt. Albans, Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, Mexico,
summer 2013, courtesy of Moralea Milne, id by Bill Oehlke

Visit Eacles imperialis decoris males, Cortes, Honduras, courtesy of Eduardo Marabuto.

Visit Eacles imperialis decoris males and females, Atlantida and Olancho, Honduras, courtesy of Robert Lehman.

Eacles imperialis decoris female, Nicaragua, courtesy of John Michel Maes.

Eacles imperialis decoris female, Guatemala,
August, 2011, courtesy of John Holt, via Alan Marson.

Eacles imperialis decoris female, Limon, Costa Rica, courtesy of Kelly Price

Eacles imperialis decoris male (more likely something undescribed), 1165m, Tapanti, Cartago, Costa Rica,
wingspan: approximately 125mm, courtesy of Kelly Price.

Eacles imperialis decoris female, Tapanti, Cartago, Costa Rica,
courtesy of Kelly Price, id by Bill Oehlke

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There is an April-May flight, and there may be additional flights. Robert Lehman reports them on the wing in Honduras in May, June and July. John Holt reports an August flight in Guatemala. Zach Welly reports an August flight in Panama.

Eggs are most frequently deposited on Astronium graveolens, Bursera tomentosa, Cedrela odorata, Cochlospermum vitifolium and Quercus.

Females are not as ornately decorted as the males of this species.

Eacles imperialis decoris female, Viktor Suter.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING: Females mate around 10:00 P.M., and the pair remains coupled until the following evening. Upon separation, the females begin their ovipositing flights. Eacles imperialis decoris male, Nicaragua, courtesy of John Michel Maes.

There is also an orange-brown female form.

Eacles imperialis decoris Selva Negra, Matagalpa, Nicaragua,
courtesy of Brett Ratcliffe and Federico C. Ocampo

Eacles imperialis decoris male, Honduras, wingspan: 115mm, courtesy of Ronald D. Cave.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Yellow, translucent eggs are deposited singly or in small clusters of up to six. The larvae become visible through the egg shells a day or so before emerging.

Larvae are solitary in their feeding habits. Larvae descend trees, as either green or brown colour morphs, to pupate in underground chambers.

Pupae should be stored under cool , but above freezing temperatures, and sprinkling with water a few times a week in June encourages July eclosions.

Images courtesy of Dan Janzen, Costa Rica.

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are the primary and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae. 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.

Astronium graveolens Bursera tomentosa Cedrela odorata Cochlospermum vitifolium....... Quercus

Kulimche Torchwood West Indian cedar Rose amarillo/Yellow rose Oak

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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

Some of the early describers/namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or history.

Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour a contempory friend/collector/etc.

I do not know the source of the genus name "Eacles", but it may be a combination of "Ea", the Greek word for gods and goddesses and the Greek suffix "cles", meaning 'glory of'.

The species name "imperialis" is probably for the majestic appearance and colouration of this moth.

The subspecies name "decoris" means decorated or honoured. There seems to be a trend to have named E. imperialis subspecies after politial or military rankings: cacicus (local leader/boss), decoris (decorated), magnifica (powerful, magnificent), nobilis (noble).