DISTRIBUTION:

Hylesia leilex (wingspan: males: 37-43mm; females: 51-58mm) flies in
eastern Peru: Huanuco, Cusco, Puno; and in
Ecuador: Napo, Morona-Santiago, Zamora Chinchipe (LR) and probably Pastaza. Specimens have been taken in habitats with elevations between 350m and 1800m.

Based on 2016 comments by Brechlin & Meister, those specimens from Ecuador and Ucalayi, Peru, are more likely the subspecies Hylesia leilex leilseptentridex, while those specimens from Cusco southwards to Puno are more likely nominate leilex.

The thorax and abdomen are dark brown dorsally with the abdomen sporting greyish hair-like scales. The forewing is rounded with a straight to slightly convex outer margin. The am and pm and subterminal lines are concolorous with the dark brown to almost black ground colour. There is a lighter band between the pm and subterminal lines. The prominent discal spot is very dark.

Hylesia leilex male, Puno, Peru,
April 1912, 380m, Claude Lemaire, on my home computer only.

Hylesia leilex male, 40mm, Cusco, Peru,
courtesy of Frank Meister, on my home computer only.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This species probably broods continuously on a three month cycle. Flight records exist for January-March and August.

Larval hosts are unknown.

Hylesia leilex female, more likely subspecies leilseptentridex, Morona Santiago, Ecuador,
March 12, 1980, 1100m, Claude Lemaire, on my home computer only.

Hylesia leilex female, 51mm, Cusco, Peru,
courtesy of Frank Meister, 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 leilex 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.

Return to Hylesia Index

Return to Main Saturniidae Index

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 reason for the species name "leilex".