DISTRIBUTION:

Hylesia thaumex (wingspan: males: 40-45mm; females: 50-55mm) flies in
Colombia: Valle;
Venezuela: Bolivar, Amazonas;
Ecuador: Pichincha, Canar, Napo and Pastaza;
Brazil: Mato Grosso; and
French Guiana: Camopi, Cayenne, Matoury, Kaw, Regina, Nancibo, Coralie, Eleonor, Saint-Jean-du-Maroni;
French Guiana: Nouragues: Heliport - Drop Zone, 4.088, -52.681, collected by MAS. Smith & R. Rougerie, 2011-01-28; 2011-01-29; 2011-02-03. Mirror;
and probably in Guyana and Suriname: Moengo Boven (confirmed by RSL). This species, formerly a subspecies of rosacea, lacks most of the pink found on the H. rosacea.

I believe this moth has now been elevated to full species status as Hylesia thaumex (prior to 2016).

However, Brechlin & Meister, 2016, treat thaumex as a subspecies of rosacea. It was at one time treated as a subspecies of rosacea with an HT from western Colombia: Valle. Brechlin & Meister, 2016, depict a specimen from western Ecuador: Esmeraldas. I suspect H. r. thaumex is probably restricted to western Colombia and Ecuador. I think all of the images on this page from Suriname are probably of Hylesia teratex or Hylesia rosguianex.

The thorax is dark brown. The abdomen is yellow, mixed with some black.

The ground colour is a light olive-grey which becomes darker toward the outer margin. The basal streak is brown. At best there is only a hint on an antemedial line. The dark brown discal spot is prominent. The postmedial line is thin and straight. The anal angle is quite rounded. Specimens have been taken at elevations from 100m to 1350m.

Hylesia thaumex series, Moengo Boven, Cottica River, Suriname,
1927, Cornell University Collection, courtesy of Ryan Saint Laurent;
probably Hylesia teratex or Hylesia rosguianex, possibly some of each; Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Larval hosts are unknown.

This species probably broods continuously on a three month cycle with moths taken in most, if not all, months.

Hylesia thaumex female, 54mm, Moengo Boven, Cottica River, Suriname,
May 27, 1927, Cornell University Collection, courtesy of Ryan Saint Laurent;
probably Hylesia teratex or Hylesia rosguianex; Bill Oehlke.

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 deposited in clusters on hostplant foliage.

Hylesia rosacea thaumex 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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The following image(s) may or may not appear on your monitor, depending upon whether or not I get permission from respective photographers/owners to display them. I do have permission for my own private use.

Hylesia rosacea thaumex female, Eleonor, French Guiana,
January 30, 2000, collection of Rodolphe Rougerie, photo copyright Rene Lehousse,
French Guiana Systematique;
probably Hylesia teratex or Hylesia rosguianex; Bill Oehlke.

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Hylesia rosacea thaumex male, Anchicaya, Valle, Colombia,
1000m, Claude Lemaire, on my home computer only.

Hylesia rosacea thaumex female, Anchicaya, Valle, Colombia,
1000m, Claude Lemaire, on my home computer only.

Hylesia rosacea thaumex male, 43mm, Esmeraldas, Ecuador,
Frank Meister on my home computer only.