DISTRIBUTION: The Hylesia ileana moth (wingspan: males: 33-37mm; females: 44-51mm) flies in Chiapas, Mexico; Ahuachapan, El Salvador; and probably in Guatemala. Hylesia ileana male (Mexico) courtesy of Dr. Manuel A. Balcazar Lara

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing mid August through mid October.

Larval hosts are unknown.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen, and the males pick up and track the airbourne pheromone plume with their well-developed antennae.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters on hostplant foliage.

Hylesia ileana larvae are highly gregarious and have the urticating spines typical of larvae from the Subfamily Hemileucinae.

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.

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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.

I do not know the origin of the genus name Hylesia.

The species name, 'ileana', may be from Greek mythology where Ileana is a feminine name from Troy.

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