DISTRIBUTION:

Automerina auguajira moth (wingspan: males: mm; females: mm // mfwl: 27mm; ffwl: 38-43mm) flies in
Colombia: La Guajira: Carretera Via Palomino - Minguero: Cabanas El Bosque; Magdalena: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta: Rio Pierdra, at elevations of 55-330m.

The species name is indicative of a specimen in the auletes group (au) and a specimen type from El Guajira (guajira), Colombia.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths have been taken in September-October. There are probably additional flight months.

Automerina auguajira AT female, September 3, 2016,
Colombia: Magdalena: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta: Rio Pierdra,
330m, courtesy of Ron Brechlin: ESs, copyright.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of their abdomens to "call" the males. Males use their antennae to hone in on the airbourne pheromone.

Automerina auguajira female, Colombia, courtesy of Thibaud Decaens, copyright.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae probably pupate in a very flimsy cocoon spun amongst leaf litter. Host plant might be one of the sumac species.

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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