DISTRIBUTION:

The Hylesia continua colombiana moth (wingspan: males: 45-53mm; females: 58-66mm) flies in
Colombia: Antioquia and probably Choco, Valle del Cauca and Nariono; and
Ecuador: Esmeraldas, Pichincha, Los Rios, Bolivar, Canar, Guayas, Azuay and El Oro
at elevations of 150m to 1000m on the western slopes of the Andes.

Th ethorax and abdomen are dark brown, the latter with many orangey-brown hairs.

Forewing is apically produced more so than in other subspecies. Lines are prominent, and lighter areas have a purplish tinge. The postmedial line is wide, dark and very straight, and is tangent to the lower part of the dark oblong cell marking. The pm line is outwardly traced by a conspicuous lighter band. The am line, also broad and dark, has an obtuse angle on the cubitus and meets the pm line along the inner margin. The am line is inwardly traced by a conspicuous lighter band. There is a prominent light apical spot.

Hylesia continua colombiana male, Emeraldas, Ecuador,
October 14, 1990, 1000m, Claude Lemaire, on my home computer only.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Larvae feed on Salix capraea in the lab.

This species probably broods continuously on a two-three month cycle. Luigi Racheli reports them on the wing in May in Ecuador.

Hylesia continua colombiana female, Emeraldas, Ecuador,
October 24, 1990, 1000m, Claude Lemaire, 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 pick up and track the airbourne pheromone plume with their well-developed antennae.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters on hostplant foliage.

Hylesia continua colombiana 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.

Salix capraea .......

Goat 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.

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

I do not know the origin of the species name continua.

The subspecies name is "colombiana" is for the specimen type locality.