DISTRIBUTION:

Automerina (Automerula) esmeraletes moth (wingspan: males: 56mm; females: ?? // forewing length: males 29-31mm; females: ) flies in
Ecuador: Esmeraldas: Chucuvi; at elevations around 717-780m.

This species tends to be slightly larger than Automerina auletes.

The forewing apex is less pointed than in Automerina yungasletes. The fw pmline is hardly noticeable in its upper half, not showing the contrast found in yungasletes. The forewing cell mark tends to be large and oval, less round than in yungasletes. The hindwing pupil shows a greater suffusion of white rather than the small dot found in yungasletes.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths have been taken in January, February, June, July, August. There are probably additional flight months.

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.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

The following descriptions are for Automerina auletes. I suspect eggs, larvae and pupae of Automerina yungasletes would be very similar.

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

The species name, esmeraletes, siggnifies as specimen type location in Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador, and a great similarity to Automerina auletes.

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.

Eugena Malosma (=Rhus) laurina ........ Myrcia Protium heptaphyllum

Eugena Laurel Sumac Myrcia Incense Tree

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