Automeris nubila
Updated as per Lemaire's Hemileucinae 2002, March 2008
Updated as per ZOOLOGIA LEPIDÓPTEROS DE IMPORTÂNCIA MÉDICA OCORRENTES NO RIO GRANDE DO SUL. III. SATURNIIDAE – HEMILEUCINAE (flight months; foodplants; RGDS); Alexandre Specht; Elio Corseuil; Aline Carraro Formentini

Automeris nubila
(Walker, 1855) Dirphia

Automeris nubila courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

TAXONOMY:

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

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DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris nubila (wingspan: males: 55-57-58mm; females: 70-78mm) flies in
southeastern Brazil: Rio de Janeiro; Parana; Santa Catarina: Rio Natal, Sao Bento dol Sul; Rio Grande do Sul; (probably Sao Paulo (WO?)), at elevations of 160-920m.

The male forewing is elongate and falcate with a very dark brown basal area, becoming slightly lighter and orangey brown in the median area to an almost translucent grey in the post median area. The faint pm line is broadly preapical, and the oval cell marking is slightly darker than its surroundings.

The hindwing is drab brown with an only slightly darker, circular cell marking.

Automeris nubila male, on my home computer only.

Automeris nubila male, 55mm, Brazil, courtesy of Carlos Mielke

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in February. Automeris nubila larvae feed on Terminalia catappa.

John Kamps reports a specimen taken in September in Santa Catarina.

Automeris nubila female, Rio Natal, Bento dol Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
September 6, 1999, courtesy of John Kamps.

Automeris nubila female, 70mm, Brazil, courtesy of Carlos Mielke

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 nubila larvae much protection.

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.

Terminalia catappa .......

Tropical Almond Tree/amendoeira-da-praia

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