Dirphia araucariae
Updated as per Lemaire's Hemileucinae 2002, March 2008
This page has been updated August 24, 2015, based on reference material for Argentina, sent to me by Ezequiel Bustos, as cited in a recent publication: NÚÑEZ: Catálogo preliminar de Saturniidae de Argentina TROP. LEPID. RES., 25(1): 22-33, 2015 31.
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
Updated as per images from Ines Anhaia Vasconcelos, Jaquirana, Rio Grande do Sol, Brazil, November 27, 2017
Updated as per images from Maristela Zamoner, Campina, Rio Grande do Sol, Brazil, April 21, 2015; April 10, 2018

Dirphia araucariae
Jones, 1908

Dirphia auricariae, Jaquirana, Rio Grande do Sul,
November 27, 2017, courtesy of Ines Anhaia Vasconcelos

TAXONOMY:

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

DISTRIBUTION:

Dirphia araucariae (wingspan: males: 72-87mm; females: 81-101mm) flies in
southeastern Brazil in Minas Gervais, Parana, Sao Paulo, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande Do Sul: Jaquirana (IAV); Campina (MZ).

Dirphia araucariae, Campina, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil,
April 21, 2015, courtesy of Maristela Zamoner.

Ezequiel Osvaldo Núñez Bustos sent me a paper in August 2015 which includes Dirphia araucariae in northeastern Argentina.

Dirphia araucariae male, Rio Negrinho, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
September 1969, courtesy Kelly Price.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths have been observed in January-April, June and November, suggesting at least three broods annually. Larval host is Araucaria angustifolia (parana pine; candelabra tree).

Dirphia araucariae male, Brazil, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males, smaller than females, use highly developed antennae to locate females by tracking their airbourne pheromone plumes.

Dirphia araucariae moth courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are probably laid in large clusters and larvae feed gregariously. Typical of the Subfamily Hemileucinae, Dirphia species all have urticating spines.

Dirphia araucariae fifth instars, Rio Grande do Sul,
courtesy of Elio Corseuil.

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.

Araucaria angustifolia.......

Parana pine/Candelabra tree

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