DISTRIBUTION:

The Copaxa joinvillea moth (wingspan: males: 90-110mm; females: 110-125mm) flies in Parana (CM) and Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, and possibly as far north and west as Mato Grosso do Sul. The male's forewing is very falcate with a produced narrow apex.

Male Copaxa joinvillea consistently have an orange-coppery ground colour with dark scales on the forewing veins and consistent pinkish-grey scaling in the postmedian area. This last character seems lacking in the very variable C. flavobrunnea. The forewing apex of joinvillea is the most produced and acute of the three related species joinvillea, flavobrunnea, canella, and the anal angle of the joinvillea male forewing seems very slightly produced, giving it almost a rectangular appearance as compared to the more rounded region in flavobrunnea.

Males of this species are nocturnal and have pale antennae rami as compared to the dark rami of the diurnal (8:00-10:00 am) flavobrunnea males.

Females are considerably larger than males and were once described as a grey-brown. This appears to be in error as Kirby Wolfe now reports them as being "entirely yellow, not brown as previously believed."

Copaxa joinvillea ?? male, Brazil, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Copaxa joinvillea ?? male, Brazil, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

I am not completely sure of the determination of the specimen above. The forewing apex seems wider and the hindwing ocellus seems larger than in other specimens of joinvillea. The hindwing apex also seems less rounded, more anuglate. Perhaps those characters are variable; perhaps this is a closely related but as yet undescribed species.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Copaxa joinvillea larvae feed upon avocado (Persea americana).

Many of the Copaxa brood continuously so I suspect joinvillea would be on the wing every month of the year. However, it may be bivoltine with spring and late summer (southern hemisphere seasons) flights.

Copaxa joinvillea female, Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil, courtesy/copyright Carlos Mielke.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Male Copaxa joinvillea moths use highly developed antennae to locate females shortly after dark by tracking the airbourne pheromone plume. The female releases this scent into the night air via an organ extended from the tip of the abdomen.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

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.

Persea americana ......

Avocado

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Copaxa joinvillea male, Yaragua, Brazil, on my home computer only.

Copaxa joinvillea ?? female, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, on my home computer only.