DISTRIBUTION:

Eacles imperialis opaca (wingspan: males: 85-107mm; females: 92-130mm) flies in
Buenos Aires: Olivos (18m), San Juan (AB) and Entre Rios, Argentina.

Eacles imperialis opaca, Buenos Aires, Argentina, courtesy of Oz Rittner.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Eggs are most frequently deposited on Erythrina crista-galli. Other hosts can be used in captivity.

Eacles imperialis opaca, 18m, Olivos, Buenos Aires, Argentina,
courtesy of Dr. Carlos Marzano.

Females are not as ornately decorated as the males of this species. There are at least two forms. Form "parda" is depicted to the right, courtesy of Andres E. Varga, San Miguel, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Eacles imperialis opaca female, copyright protected, courtesy of Thibaud Decaens.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females mate around 10:00 P.M., and the pair remains coupled until the following evening. Upon separation, the females begin their ovipositing flights.

Female Eacles imperialis opaca courtesy of Pablo Wagner..

Eacles imperialis opaca, female, Buenos Aires, Argentina, courtesy of Oz Rittner.

Eacles imperialis opaca female, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina,
February 20, 2021, courtesy of Javier Gutierrez, id by Bill Oehlke.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Yellow, translucent eggs are deposited singly or in small clusters of up to six. The larvae become visible through the egg shells a day or so before emerging.

Larvae are solitary in their feeding habits. Larvae descend trees to pupate in underground chambers.

Eacles imperialis opaca, fifth instar, courtesy of Thibaud Decaens.

Pupae should be stored under cool , but above freezing temperatures, and sprinkling with water a few times a week in June encourages July eclosions.

Eacles imperialis opaca, fifth instar on white ash, Buenos Aires, Argentina, courtesy of Oz Rittner.

Visit Eacles imperialis opaca fifth instar larva, pupa, discarded larval skin and pupal shell, Olivos, Buenos Aires, Argentina, courtesy of Carlos Marzano.

Visit Eacles imperialis opaca male and female, Argentina, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

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.

Erythrina crista-galli....... Fraxinus americana Ligustrum Prunus serotina Quercus robur Salix babylonica

Cockspur coral tree White Ash (OR) Privet Wild black cherry English oak Weeping willow

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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.

Some of the early describers/namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or history.

Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour a contempory friend/collector/etc.

I do not know the source of the genus name "Eacles", but it may be a combination of "Ea", the Greek word for gods and goddesses and the Greek suffix "cles", meaning 'glory of'.

The species name "imperialis" is probably for the majestic appearance and colouration of this moth.

The subspecies name "opaca" means opaque or dull. This moth does not have the bright yellow ground colour of other imperialis subspecies.

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