DISTRIBUTION:

Hylesia iola (wingspan: males: 43-47mm; females: 54-57mm) flies in
central Mexico (Federal District south to Oaxaca) at elevations around 2000m.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in March and September-November. Larvae feed on Acacia.

Hylesia iola female, Mexico, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen, and the night-flying 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 or around hostplants.

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

Hylesia iola larva copyright Kirby Wolfe

Hylesia iola eggs copyright Kirby Wolfe

The eggs are deposited in masses surrounded by urticating hairs.

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.

Acacia .......

Acacia

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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, 'iola', may refer to the pinkish-brown/violet cast on the wings.

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