DISTRIBUTION:

Giacomellia vanschaycki (wingspan: males: 36-40mm; females: 51mm // forewing length: males: 19-20mm; females: 27mm) flies in
Bolivia: Santa Cruz (B&M); Chuquisaca (TD/GL).

Specimens have been taken at altitudes of 550-1520m.

On average, this species is slightly larger than G. bilineata whose males have a forewing length of 16-17mm. The hindwing of G. bilineata is white, compared to the red-brown hindwing of the male G. vanschaycki. G. vanschacki also have speckling on the lower half of the forewing (appears to be a variable trait). This speckling is absent in bilineata.

Giacomellia vanschaycki male, 40mm, Santa Cruz, Bolivia,
on my home computer only.

Giacomellia vanschaycki pair, Chuquisaca (Bolivia),
courtesy of G. Lecourt, via Thibaud Decaens.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Giacomellia vanschaycki flies in February-March, October and December. There are probably additional flight months.

Larval hosts are unknown.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Adult Giacomellia vanschaycki emerge from subterranean pupae, and males are considerably smaller than females.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Night-flying females lay translucent eggs on host plant leaves. The developing larvae can be seen through the egg shells.

Larvae pupate underground in small chambers.

Care of larvae and pupae should be as for any Neotropical species.

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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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.

The species name "vanschaycki" is honourific for Eric van Schayck.