DISTRIBUTION:

Hylesia rubrifrons (wingspan: males: 41-48mm; females: 59-71mm) flies in
Costa Rica: Cartago, Heredia, Limon (CL), Alajuela, Guanacaste, Puntarenas, San Jose (IB);
Nicaragua;
Panama: Chiriqui;
Colombia: Boyaca (ARA), Valle (CL), and
Ecuador: Pichincha and Canar.

Jacqueline Y. Miller reports it in Honduras.

The thorax is brown to greyish-brown. The abdomen varies from dull yellow to brown with yellowish hairs. The brown forewing, often with pinkish/purplish shades, is slightly apically produced. Broad, brown lines are prominent, especially the slightly S-shaped postmedial line. The antemedial line is straight to slightly ogbtusely angled at the cubitus. The cell spot is round, small and dark.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in most months, suggesting continuous broods.

In Costa Rica larvae have been found on Senna papillosa in the Fabaceae family, on Urera elata in the Urticaceae family, and on Vismia baccifera in the Clusiaceae family.

Hylesia rubrifrons female courtesy of Dan Janzen.

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

Hylesia rubrifons, Costa Rica, courtesy of Dan Janzen.

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.

Senna papillosa ....... Urera elata Vismia baccifera

Senna papillosa Urera elata Vismia baccifera

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