DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris watsoni (wingspan: males: 73-87mm; females: 103-117mm) flies in
north-central Brazil: Para;
French Guiana: Fleuve d'Oyapok, Camopi, Saint Georges, Roura, Kaw, Cayenne, Regina, Coralie, Sinnamary, Saint-Jean-du-Maroni;
western Venezuela: Tachira, and possibly other locations. There are possibly also populations in Suriname and Guyana.

Automeris watsoni male, French Guiana,
March 31, 2011, courtesy of Andres Urbas.

Automeris watsoni male, French Guiana,
April 6, 2011, courtesy of Andres Urbas.

Automeris watsoni male, French Guiana,
reared on beech (Fagus), courtesy of Uwe Kauz.

Automeris watsoni male, French Guiana,
reared on beech (Fagus), courtesy of Viktor Suter.

Automeris watsoni male, French Guiana,
reared on beech (Fagus), courtesy of Viktor Suter.

The eyespot pupil is relatively small in both sexes, and there is some white scaling along the postmedial line near the apex on an otherwise almost uniformly coloured forewing.

Automeris watsoni (male), French Guiana, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in March-May, August and November, suggesting at least three broods.

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 watsoni male, French Guiana, courtesy of Carlot Didier.

Automeris watsoni female, French Guiana,
reared on beech (Fagus), courtesy of Uwe Kauz.

Automeris watsoni female, French Guiana,
reared on beech (Fagus), courtesy of Uwe Kauz.

Automeris watsoni female, French Guiana,
reared on beech (Fagus), courtesy of Viktor Suter.

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. Uwe Kauz reports success rearing ths species on Beech (Fagus).

Automeris watsoni early instar, French Guiana,
courtesy of Viktor Suter.

Automeris watsoni final instar, French Guiana,
reared on beech (Fagus), courtesy of Uwe Kauz.

Automeris watsoni final instar, French Guiana,
reared on beech (Fagus), courtesy of Uwe Kauz.

Automeris watsoni final (seventh) instar, French Guiana,
courtesy of Viktor Suter.

Automeris watsoni final instar, French Guiana,
courtesy of Viktor Suter.

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.

Fagus ....... (UK)

Beech

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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

I am not aware of the source for Automeris, but watsoni is honourific for Watson.