DISTRIBUTION:

Lemaireodirphia fusca (wingspan: males: 77mm; females: 88mm // forewing length: males: 37-47mm; females: 45-46) flies in
Mexico: Oaxaca; Puebla; Tamaulipas; at elevations near 670-2590m.

The forewing is an almost uniform dark grey-brown. The forewing apex and anal angle are less rounded than in similar species and the outer margin is straighter, giving the wing a slightly squarish appearance. The black fw pml is less pre-apical than in most other species and it runs straight from the costa to M2, where is angles slightly inward to Cu2 before dropping to the inner margin. There is an inward tracing of white, most prominent on the wing veins.

Visit Lemaireodirphia Comparison Chart.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Larvae possibly feed on Platanus lindeniana, Prunus, Pyrus malus, Robinia pseudoacacia and Salix chilensis. Oak and/or Beech might work??

This species is on the wing from June-July-August-September.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Lemaireodirphia fusca AT female, 88mm, Puebla, Mexico,
on my home computer only.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters on hostplant foliage.

Lemaireodirphia albida 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 anticipated foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Platanus lindeniana Prunus Pyrus malus Robinia pseudoacacia..... Salix chilensis

Plane Cherry Apple Black locust/False acacia Willow

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.
Goto Lemaireodirphia Index.
Got o Mexico and Central American Saturniidae Index
Return to Main Saturnidae Index

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.

The genus name "Lemaireodirphia" is both honourific of Claude Lemaire and indicative of a great similarity to moths in the genus Dirphia.

The species name "fusca" is indicative of a dark grey-brown ground colour.

Support this website and visit other insect sites by clicking flashing butterfly links to left or right.