DISTRIBUTION:

Dirphiopsis pulchricornis (wingspan: males: 59-79mm; females: 83-93mm) inhabits
Venezuela: Miranda, Distrito Federal, Aragua, Merida, Tachira, and flies at moderate elevations up to 2000m.

Dirphiopsis pulchricornis male, Venezuela,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Flight times vary from year to year and coincide with the rainy season: February, April, May, June, July, August, September, December.

Larval hosts are unknown in nature, but willow and privet have been used in captivity.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Dirphiopsis pulchricornis female, Venezuela,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

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

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.

Salix

Willow

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