Hirpida choba
Updated as per Entomo Satsphingia Jahrgang 3 Heft 5 18.11.2010; April 30, 2012
Updated as per personal communication with Ryan Saint Laurent (Smithsonian Type image); January 17, 2014

Hirpida choba
(Druce, 1904) Ormiscodes

Hirpida choba male, (type),
The Smithsonian Insect Collection (USNM) courtesy of Ryan St. Laurent

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Tribe: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Genus: Hirpida, Draudt, 1929

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DISTRIBUTION:

Hirpida choba (wingspan: males: 60-64mm; females: 74mm) flies in
southeastern Peru: Cusco, Puno (1800-2500m).

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are probably at least two broods annually with peak flights in February and in June. Specimens have also been taken March-July and in December.

Larvae possibly feed on oak species.

Hirpida choba male, Cusco, Peru,
60mm, Ron Brechlin, on my home computer only.

Hirpida choba female, Cusco, Peru,
74mm, Ron Brechlin, on my home computer only.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Females are likely most active right after dusk. The male, above, was taken early in the evening.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters on hostplant foliage.

Hirpida choba larvae are 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.

Quercus.......

Oak

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