DISTRIBUTION:

Hylesia praeda (wingspan: males: 41-50mm; females: 59-64mm) flies in
Ecuador: Pichincha, Zamora Chinchipe, Napo, Morona-Santiago and probably Pastaza;
Panama: Canal Zone;
Venezuela: Carabobo, Yaracuy, Tachira;
Guyana: Mazaruni-Potaro;
probably Suriname: ;
French Guiana: Kaw, Cayenne, Cacao, Regina, Coralie, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Saul Tonate, Saint-Jean-du-Maroni, Piste du Plateau Mines;
Colombia: Antioquia and probably Valle del Cauca and Nariono;
Peru: Huanuco, Junin, Madre de Dios, Puno; and
Brazil: Amazonas. This species has been taken at elevations from 30m to 1000m.

In the male dorsal view (underside carmine), the thorax is dark brown with some grey hairs on the tegulae. The abdomen is black. The forewing is broad with a slightly produced apex. The remainder of the outer margin is slightly convex. Ground colour is orange-brown to dark grey with some lavender suffusion. The subparallel, slightly concave lines are dark brown, weak nearest the costa, becoming wider and more prominent nearest the inner margin. The subterminal line is heavily scalloped. There is a distinct dark brown apical region, and the lower half of the basal area has considerable dark scaling. The discal cell is dark and may or may not be pronounced.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Larval foodplants are unknown.

This species probably broods continuously on a three month cycle, with peak flights from November-March.

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. The dark brown lines are subparallel, weak nearer the costa, becoming wider and more prominent toward the inner margin. There is a dark brown patch near the apex, and the discal cell is also dark brown and may be prominent or weak. The lower half of the basal area has a heavier suffusion of dark brown.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters on hostplant foliage.

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

Mature larva has a brown head, white skin with black markings, legs, anal shield and spines.

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 following image(s) may or may not appear on your monitor, depending upon whether or not I get permission from respective photographers/owners to display them. I do have permission for my own private use.

Hylesia praeda male, Saul, French Guiana,
November 28, 2005, collection of B. Francois, photo copyright Rene Lehousse,
French Guiana Systematique.

Hylesia praeda male, Kaw, French Guiana,
January 2002, collection of Rene Lahousse, photo copyright Rene Lahousse,
French Guiana Systematique.

Hylesia praeda female, Cacao, French Guiana,
January 2002, collection of Rodolphe Rougerie, photo copyright Rene Lahousse,
French Guiana Systematique.

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