DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris illustris (wingspan: males: 89-101mm; females: 91-122mm) flies in
Brazil: Bahia; Goias; Minas Gerais; Sao Paulo (MC); Parana (CM); Rio de Janeiro (Holotype): Teresopolis (ACFJ); Santa Catarina; Rio Grande do Sul; and in
Argentina: Misiones, and in
Paraguay: (Itapua WO??);
and Uruguay: Montevideo, at elevations of 300-700 metres above sea level.

Automeris illustris male, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
May 14, 2020, courtesy of Naturalista Amador.

This moth is very si8milar to A. amoena and A. coresus, but illustris has am and pm lines more concolourous, less contrasting with ground colour, and a less rounded hindwing pupil compared to amoena. A. coresus has stronger yellow lines and more yellow surrounding the smaller hindwing eyespot.

Automeris illustris male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
January 22, 2010, courtesy of Larry Valentine, id by Bill Oehlke.

Automeris illustris male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
August 18, 2012, courtesy of Larry Valentine, tentative id by Bill Oehlke,
after extensive digital repair; note non-scalloped pm line of hindwing.

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 illustris male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
January 22, 2010, courtesy of Larry Valentine, id by Bill Oehlke.

antennae: rusty yellow
labial palpi: dark brown
frons: orange brown:
thorax: dorsally brown, ventrally orange
legs: dark brown
femoral fringes: orange

Automeris illustris, northeastern Uruguay,
September 27, 2010, courtesy of Christopher Prevett, id by Bill Oehlke.

The broad, subtriangular forewing is moderately produced at the apex. Basic ground colour is greyish-beige to orqange, lighter and more yellowish on the outer margin of the subterminal band. The am and pm lines are same colour as rest of wing, perhaps slightly darker and narrowly lined with yellowish beige on facing sides.

The pm line is slightly preapical and moderately concave. The discal spot is subrectangular and grey with a small white dot in the center and small black dots along the corners and extensions.

The hindwing basal median area is orange. The slightly undulate pm line is black, distinct and inwardly, narrowly lined with yellow, outwardly narrowly lined with beige or orange.

The submarginal band is brown, outwardly lined with beige. The hw veins are covered with orange in the entire postmedian area. The terminal area of both wings is a grey-orange.

When I first saw the following three images from Alfredo Wagner, I thought there were at least two different specimens represented. Upon making some digital repairs to the forewings, I quickly discovered that all three images are of the same moth. It is interesting how the angle of the photos, the lighting and the reflective surroundings and backgrounds contribute to diffirent colour hues in the forewings.

Automeris illustris male, Alfredo Wagner, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
March 26, 2016, courtesy of Americo Chini, id by Bill Oehlke.

Automeris illustris male, Alfredo Wagner, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
March 26, 2016, courtesy of Americo Chini, id by Bill Oehlke.

Automeris illustris male, Alfredo Wagner, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
March 26, 2016, courtesy of Americo Chini, id by Bill Oehlke.

Automeris illustris male by Viktor Suter, courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

Automeris illustris male, Paraguay, September 13, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Automeris illustris male, Paraguay, September 8, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

The ventral surface is dull orange with the hindwing darker than the forewing. The distinct black fw cell spot is large with a small white center. The hw cell spot is a small white dot.

Automeris illustris male (verso), Paraguay, September 13, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Automeris illustris male (verso), Paraguay, September 8, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Visit Automeris illustris male, Yacutinga, Misiones, Argentina, September 13, 2010, courtesy of Ezequiel Osvaldo Nunez Bustos.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are at least three generations annually with peak flights in January-March, May-June-July and September-October.

Ezequiel Osvaldo Nunez Bustos reports a September flight in Yacutinga, Misiones, Argentina.

It has been reported in every month of the year in Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil.

Larry Valentine has reported specimens January 22, October 2, November 6 in Itanhandu, southeastern Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Automeris ilustris male, Itanhandu, southeastern Minas Gerais, Brazil,
October 2, 2010, courtesy of Larry Valentine, id by Bill Oehlke.

Natural hosts include Platanus orientalis and Ficus benjamina. In the lab, Liguistrum, Syringa and Crataegus have been used successfully.

Automeris illustris female, Paraguay, September 10, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Automeris illustris female (verso), Paraguay, September 10, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use their more highly developed antennae to seek out females who release an airbourne pheromone into the night sky. Most activity occurs between 10:30 pm and 12:30 am.

Automeris illustris female, San Jose, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
September 28, 2014, courtesy of Sandro Manoel Corrêa da Silva.

Automeris illustris female by Viktor Suter, courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE: Early instar larvae are quite gregarious and have urticating spines. Image courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel. Pupation is in a rather flimsy cocoon. Larva fastens itself via silk pad to inside of cocoon and then moults one final time 3-4 days after spinning.

Automeris illustris sixth instars, Paraguay, May 18, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Automeris illustris sixth instar, Paraguay, May 18, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Automeris illustris final instar, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
May 10, 2012, courtesy of Enio Branco, id by Bill Oehlke.

Visit Automeris illustris fifth instar, near Santa Andre, Sao Paulo, Brazil, April 13, 2016, courtesy of Mauricio Carrilho.

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.

Acacia Acacia dealbata Acacia caven Acacia farnesiana Acacia mollissima Cajanus indicus Citrus sinensis Citrus spp. Coffea arabica Crataegus Eucalyptus sp. Fagus sp. Ficus Ficus benjamina Sida rhombifolia Gossypium barbadense Ilex paraguariensis Inga sp. Inga sessilis Inga uruguensis Lagerstroemia indica Lagerstroemia speciosa ....... Ligustrum Lafoensia glyptocarpa Lonicera japonica Magnolia sp. Mangifera indica melastomatacea Persea americana Platanus orientalis..... Plumbago capensis Psidium araca Psidium cattleyanum Psidium guajava Psidum sativum Rosa spp. Salix babylonica Syringa Trema micrantha Wisteria sinensis

Acácia Acácia-aroma Espinilho Esponja acácia-mole Guandeiro Laranjeira-doce Laranjeiras Cafeeiro Hawthorn Eucalipto Fagus/Beech Fig fícus-retusa Guaxuma Algodoeiro Erva-mate Ingazeiro Ingá-macaco Ingá-banana Estremosa Escumilha Privet Mirindiba Madressilva Magnolia Mangueira melastomatacea Abacateiro Sycamore Jasmineiro-azul Araçazeiro Araçazeiro-amarelo Goiabeira Ervilha Roseira/Rose Salseiro-chorão/Willow Lilac Candiúba Glicínia

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Automeris amoena amoena male, Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.

Automeris amoena amoena resting male, Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.