DISTRIBUTION:

The Hylesia pearsoni moth (wingspan: males: 34(ESs)-38-41mm; females: 42mm(ESS)-52mm) flies in
southeastern Brazil: Sao Paulo (HT) and Rio de Janeiro at elevations of 500m. Entomo-Satsphingia reports it in Espirito Santo and to the west in Rondonia. It probably also flies in Minas Gerais, Goias and Mato Grosso.

Antennae: yellow. Thorax: greyish-brown. Abdomen: yellowish. Lines and marks are generally quite weak. There is most white on the costa where am and pm bands meet the costa. This is otherwise a brownish moth.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Larvae probably would accept Acacia drummondii (natural), Spiraea bumalda, Prunus virginiana, Prunus serotina and Prunus caroliniana.

This species probably broods continuously on a three month cycle. Flight records exist only for February.

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 pearsoni female, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
February 5, 1954, 500m, on my home computer only.

Hylesia pearsoni female, Rondonia, Brazil,
42mm, on my home computer only.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters on hostplant foliage.

Hylesia pearsoni 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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