Dirphia sombrero
Updated as per Lemaire's Hemileucinae 2002, March 2008
Updated as per personal communication with Carlos Mielke (Itamonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2000m); April 24, 2000m

Dirphia sombrero
Le Cerf, 1934

Dirphia sombrero male, Itamonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
2000m, courtesy of Carlos Mielke,
digital repair by Bill Oehlke.

TAXONOMY:

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

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DISTRIBUTION:

Dirphia sombrero (wingspan: males: 85-98mm; females: larger) flies in
southeastern Brazil: Rio de Janeiro; Sao Paulo; and Minas Gerais: Itamonte; at elevations between 850 and 1850m - 2000m (CM).

Dirphia sombrero male, Itamonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
2000m, courtesy of Carlos Mielke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are active in February-March-April and in June-July-August, suggesting at least two broods annually. Larval hosts are unknown.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

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.

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.

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