DISTRIBUTION:

Hylesia obtusa (wingspan: males: 28-30mm; females: 41mm) flies in
Brazil: Amazonas; Para; Rondonia; Goias; Mato Grosso; Mato Grosso do Sul and in
Bolivia: Santa Cruz.

This small species has a yellow abdomen with a rounded forewing, generally pale in colour without strongly contrasting markings. Specimens have been taken at elevations from 50m to 600m.

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 March and September.

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 obtusa 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.

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