DISTRIBUTION:

Hylesia nigridorsata (wingspan: males: 46-49mm; females: probably larger) flies in
Peru: Cusco, Puno; and
Bolivia: La Paz, Cochabamba; at elevations from 1500-2000m.

The entire body is dark brown to black except for the beige anal tuft. The forewing is slightly elongate but is not apically produced. Ground colour is a dull greyish-brown, lighter on the inner half of the median area. The concave postmedial line is dark brown and is tangent to the cell spot which is not overly dark or large. The am line is weak. The subterminal band is broad.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Larval hosts are unknown.

This species probably broods continuously on a three month cycle. Specimens have been taken in January-March and in November.

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.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are probably deposited in clusters on hostplant foliage.

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

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae. 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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