DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris coresus (wingspan: males: 88-102mm; females: 85-96mm) flies in
Uruguay: Montevideo; Cantlones; La Pedrera, Rocha Department (CP); and in
Argentina:Buenos Aires.

Automeris coresus male, La Pedrera, Rocha Department, Uruguay,
December 31, 2011, courtesy of Christopher Prevett.

Automeris coresus male (verso), La Pedrera, Rocha Department, Uruguay,
December 31, 2011, courtesy of Christopher Prevett.

Lemaire groups illustris, amoena, amoena rotunda and coresus as having abdomens that are usually orange, matching the basal area of the hindwings. The forewing postmedial line is preapical.

A. amoena generally has a larger, more rounded pupil with a lighter iris; A. amoena rotunda has a concave outer margin and a markedly concave postmedial line; A. coresus has a basic ground colour of ash-gray.

Automeris coresus Buenos Aires, Argentina,
courtesy of Jose Luis Abdala.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in November-December. There may only be a single brood of this very southern species. Larvae feed on Acer, Ligustrum, Platanus and Quercus. Natural hosts include a willow species.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen. Males use highly developed antennae to track the airbourne pheromone to locate the females.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in large clusters and larvae are highly gregarious. Urticating spines offer the Automeris coresus larvae much protection. Photo courtesy of Leroy Simon.

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.

Acer Ligustrum Platanus orientalis..... Quercus robur Salix

Maple Privet Oriental sycamore English oak Willow

Main Saturniidae Index

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