DISTRIBUTION:

Hylesia ascodex (wingspan: males: 40-41mm; females: probably larger) flies in
southeastern Peru: Puno, and in
Venezuela: Territorio Federal Amazonas, and probably in poorly reported regions in between those two countries. It has been taken at elevations of around 900m.

I believe my identification of the Steve Nanz images from Trinidad are correct, at elevations near 350-400m.

The thorax is greyish brown while the legs and abdomen are brown. The forewing is not elongate but is slightly concave just below the apex and then convex to the anal angle. Ground colour is a uniform dull brown with only a hint of a postmedial line and submarginal band. The cell markings are slightly darker than the surrounding areas. This species might be a variation of H. melanops which generally has a convex outer margin and less distinct markings.

Hylesia ascodex male, ASA Wright Nature Centre, Arima, St. George, Trinidad,
March 24, 2015, approx. 400m, courtesy of Steve Nanz.

Hylesia ascodex male, 47mm, Manu, Madre de Dios, Peru,
BOLD, Frank Meister.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in May. Larval hosts are unknown.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen, and the night-flying males pick up and track the airbourne pheromone plume with their well-developed antennae.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are probably deposited in clusters on hostplant foliage.

Hylesia ascodex larvae are probably highly gregarious and have the urticating spines typical of larvae from the Subfamily Hemileucinae.

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.

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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.

I do not know the origin of the genus name Hylesia.

The origin of the species name ascodex is unknown to me.