Automeris kitchingi
Updated as per Witt Museum Lists
Updated as per Global Mirror System of DNA Barcoding Analysis (locations and dates of BOLD submissions), December 2011
Updated as per personal communication with Frank Meister (female), December 18, 2021

Automeris kitchingi
Brechlin & Meister 2011

Automeris kitchingi male, 72mm, Cusco, Peru,
on my home computer only.

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Tribe: Hemileucini, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Genus: Automeris, Hubner, [1819]

DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris kitchingi (wingspan: males: 72mm; females: mm) flies in
Peru: Cusco: Nueva Virgen, 2005-11-15.
Peru: Cusco: Valle de Quillabamba, 2005-11-15.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in November. There may also be flights in other months.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Automeris kitchingi female, courtesy of Frank Meister.

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.

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