DISTRIBUTION:

Hylesia nigricans (wingspan: males: 31-36mm; females: 47-48mm) flies in
Argentina Buenes Aires and Misiones and probably Entre Rios and Corrientes;
Brazil: Parana (CM) and Santa Catarina; and in
northeastern Uruguay.

Lemaire (Hemileucinae, 2002) indicates Hylesia nigricans flies in Buenos Aires and Misiones, Argentina, as well as in Santa Catarina, Brazil. Carlos Mielke reports nigricans in Parana, Brazil. A very similar, slightly larger species, Hylesia munonia, is described from Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

I am not certain if the two images provided by Americo Chini from Alfredo Wagner are Hylesia nigricans or if they are Hylesia munonia, representing a slight extension of munonia's southern range. The moths in question seem a slightly better match for Lemaire's description of munonia, but geographically they are a better match for nigricans.

It is remarkable to me, as well, that the two images are of the same moth. The lighting and surroundings provide inconsistent displays in the pictures.

Hylesia nigricans male, Alfredo Wagner, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
March 26, 2016, courtesy of Americo Chini, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Hylesia nigricans male, Alfredo Wagner, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
March 26, 2016, courtesy of Americo Chini, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Hylesia nigricans, male, northeast of Melo, in Northeastern Uruguay,
courtesy of Christopher Prevett, January 15, 2012,
identification by Bill Oehlke

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Larvae feed on fruit trees, Populus, Pyrus, Quercus and Salix. In nature this species feeds on Ilex paraguariensis.

This species probably broods continuously on a three month cycle. Specimens are only reported, however, from January-February.

Hylesia nigricans female, Rio Carabelas, Delta del Parana, Buenos Aires, Argentina,
January 15, 2010, courtesy of Ezequiel Osvaldo Nunez Bustos.

Hylesia nigricans male 32 mm; female 39 mm; February
Buenos Aires, Argentina, courtesy of Eurides Furtado.

Hylesia nigricans, males,
courtesy of Biologia de Hylesia nigricans (Berg).

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.

Hylesia nigricans, male (verso), northeast of Melo, in Northeastern Uruguay,
courtesy of Christopher Prevett, January 16, 2012,
identification by Bill Oehlke

Hylesia nigricans, female, Uruguay,
January 26, 2013, courtesy of Pablo de Carmelo, identification by Bill Oehlke

Hylesia nigricans, female,
courtesy of Biologia de Hylesia nigricans (Berg).

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Yellow eggs are deposited in a jumbled mass near hostplant foliage. Eggs overwinter.

Hylesia nigricans larvae are highly gregarious and have the urticating spines typical of larvae from the Subfamily Hemileucinae. Contact with wing scales can cause dermatitis.

Hylesia nigricans, egg masses, irritating hairs, larvae
courtesy of Biologia de Hylesia nigricans (Berg).

It frequently occurs in large number in tents on a variety of fruit trees.

Hylesia nigricans eggs and larval images
courtesy of Biologia de Hylesia nigricans (Berg) (Lepidoptera, Saturniidae, Hemileucinae)
Rev. Bras. Zool. 2006, vol.23, n.1, pp. 248-255.
Available from: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0101-81752006000100018&lng=en&nrm=iso
ISSN 0101-8175. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0101-81752006000100018.

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.

fruit trees Populus..... Pyrus Quercus Salix

fruit trees Poplar Pear Oak Willow

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