DISTRIBUTION:

The Automeris balachowskyi moth (wingspan: males: 68mm; females: 75-77mm) flies in tropical rain forests and Andean forests from sea level to 1500 m in
Venezuela: Delta Amacuro;
French Guiana: Haut Oyapok, Camopi, Saut Koumalaoua, Piste de Roura, Kaw, Cayenne, Cacao, Regina, Piste Coralie;
and Bolivia: La Paz; and
possibly Peru: Junin.

I suspect it also flies in Guyana and Suriname, and in parts of Brazil: (probably Amapa, Para, Amazonas, Mato Grosso and Rondonia (WO?)).

The diurnal male makes capture and sighting records less likely; hence, the moth is probably more widespread than indicated.

The male is diurnal and very rare in collections. The female was first considered as a dark form of Automeris hamata.

In 2011, Brechlin & Meister, described a very similar species, A. lapazchowskyi, from Nor Yungas, Bolivia. I am not sure which images on this page are of balachowskyi and which are of lapazchowskyi?? Bill Oehlke

Automeris balachowskyi male,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Automeris balachowskyi male, Claude Lemaire, on my home computer only.

This moth is very similar to A. hamata, with the male (very rare in collections) slightly smaller and browner, and the female darker on all wings with a pointed forewing apex.

Automeris balachowskyi female, Shima, Junin, Peru,
June 14, 2010, 700m, courtesy of Peter Bruce-Jones,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke, confirmed by Frederic Beneluz.

Lemaire does not indicate A. balachowskyi in Peru, but I feel the female from Shima, Junin, Peru, above, courtesy of Peter Bruce-Jones is either Automeris balachowskyi or the unknown Automeris rostralis. The specimen depicted seems a very good match for the female from Nor Yungas, Bolivia; Automeris rostralis, however, is reported by Lemaire from Madre dos Dios, Peru. I will also be posting the image to the rostralis page (now removed as F. Beneluz has confirmed this specimen as balachowskyi.

Lemaire groups hamata, balachowskyi, wayampi, rostralis, duchartrei, goodsoni, meridionalis, jucunda, tamsi, chacona, chacona rectilineata and rectilinea based on genitalia, with all having the yellow ring of the eyespot very narrowly surrounded with black as well as a suffusion of black scales on the inner side of the hindwing yellow postmedial band. These moths do not have ringed abdomens.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths have been taken in January, April-March, August-September and November, suggesting three or four broods at least. It appears there is likely a June flight in Junin, Peru.

Larvae grew slowly in the lab on Robinia pseudoacacia.

Automeris balachowskyi female, Shima, Junin, Peru,
June 12, 2010, 700m, courtesy of Peter Bruce-Jones,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke, confirmed by Frederic Beneluz.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use their more highly developed antennae to seek out females who release an airbourne pheromone.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters of 6-40+ on hostplant twigs. Larvae have urticating spines and are gregarious, especially in the early instars.

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.

Robinia pseudoacacia.......

False 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 am not aware of the source for Automeris, but balachowskyi is honourific for Balachowsky.