DISTRIBUTION:

Lonomia electra (wingspan: males: 65-81-86mm (NS); females: 101-111mm (RL)) flies in
Guatemala (PT): Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Zacapa;
Mexico: San Luis Potosi, Veracruz, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Yucatan, Quintana Roo;
Belize: Stann Creek, Cayo (NS), Toledo (NS) and Corozol;
Honduras: Rosery Mine, Yoro (RC), Olancho (RL);
El Salvador: San Salvador;
Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Heredia, San Jose, Cartago, Puntarenas (CL), Alajuela, Limon (IB); and
Panama: Chiriqui; in habitats with elevations between 300m and 1850m (probably Lonomia concordia). Jean Michel Maes confirms it in
Nicaragua: Jinotega, Zelaya, Rio San Juan.

Lonomia electra male, Mexico, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

This species is quite variable. Visit Lonomia electra courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

Visit Lonomia electra, male, Punta Gorda, Toledo, Belize; female, Las Cuevas, Cayo, Belize, courtesy of Norm Smith.

Visit Lonomia electra (probably Lonomia concordia) male, Mount Totumas cloud forest farm, Chiriqui, Panama, courtesy of Jeffrey Dietrich.

Based on recent DNA barcode analysis, the specimens on this page from southern Mexico (Chiapas and Oaxaca) are probably rencently described Lonomia mexilectra, Brechlin & Meister, 2011. Two other Lonomia species have also been described from Mexico: L. yucatensis from Yucatan and L. luteomexicana from Metates, Oaxaca.

After I receive my copies of Entomo-Satsphingia for 2011-2012, I will move some images to more proper files.

Specimens from Panama may be the resurrected Lonomia concordia.

Lonomia electra male, Chiriqui, Panama,
August 17-20, 2012, courtesy of Albert Thurman.

Lonomia electra male, Kiri Lodge, Orosi, Cartago, Costa Rica,
4000 feet, May 6, 2008, courtesy/copyright Leroy Simon.

This moth is similar in appearance to Lonomia obliqua, but vast differences in geography and genitalia confirm distinct species.

In Lonomia electra the forewing apex is sharp, and the postmedial line is narrow.

Lonomia electra, Honduras, July, 2006, courtesy of Eduardo Marabuto.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been recorded in January, May, June, July, August, September and October.

Larvae accept Ligustrum ovalifolium. They are also reported on Malvaviscus. Lemaire reports them successfully reared on Rhus, and on Carpinus betula.

Lonomia electra female, courtesy of Dan Janzen, Costa Rica.

Lonomia electra female, La Muralla National Park, Olancho, Honduras,
111mm, June 17, 1996, 1420m, courtesy of Robert Lehman.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females, which are brown (above), extend a scent gland from abdomen to attract night-flying males.

Lonomia electra male, (Costa Rica) courtesy of Dan Janzen.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Orange eggs are deposited in clusters and, typical of the Subfamily Hemileucinae, larvae are gregarious and have urticating spines. Dan Janzen image.

First instar larvae are extemely gregarious and well armed with poisonous spines.

Dan Janzen image of fifth instar larva

Dan Janzen image of pupa

Indications are that pupae are formed without cocoon structures.

Listed below are the primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae and Lemaires's Hemileucinae, 2002. 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. Additional foodplants have been included from other sources.

Carpinus betula Casearia tacanensis Citharexylum costaricensis....... Hasseltia floribunda Ligustrum ovalifolium Malvaviscus Rhus Rondeletia buddleioides Xylosma chlorantha

Hornbeam Casearia tacanensis Citharexylum costaricensis Hasseltia floribunda Privet Malvaviscus Sumac Rondeletia buddleioides Xylosma chlorantha

Lonomia electra males, courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

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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 "Lonomia" chosen by Walker in 1855.

The species name "electra" is probably from Greek mythology where Electra is the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Clytemnestra murders her husband Agamemnon and rules Mycenae with her lover Aegisthus. Electra saves her brother Orestes by sending him away. She sends him secret messages, encouraging him to avenge their father's murder.

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