DISTRIBUTION:

The Hidripa ruscheweyhi moth (wingspan: males: 54mm; females: 63mm) flies in
Argentina: Tucuman and probably Salta and Jujuy, and in
Bolivia: Chuquisaca and Santa Cruz.

Ulf Drechsel reports them in Paraguay: Concepcion. I am not sure if this (Paraguay) determination is correct.

Hidripa ruscheweyhi male, Tafe de Valle, Tucuman, Argentina,
62mm, 2000m, courtesy of Nigel Venters,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Hidripa ruscheweyhi male (verso), Tafe de Valle, Tucuman, Argentina,
62mm, 2000m, courtesy of Nigel Venters,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

This species is lighter and smaller than gschwandneri and has a brown abdomen while that of gschwandneri is black. In one instance Lemaire describes the abdomen of ruscheweyhi as black, however, in another instance he describes the ruscheweyhi abdomen as brown.

With worn specimens, determinations are quite difficult. The male, immediately above from Tucuman, Argentina, matches Lemaire's geography and description for ruscheweyhi, but it is worn and significantly larger (62mm wingspan) than the wingspan given for H. ruscheweyhi (54mm).

Hidripa ruscheweyhi male, Concepcion, Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.

I am not sure of the determinations of the male and female Hidripa from Concepcion, Paraguay. They may be H. ruscheweyhi, but they could also be H. taglia or H. paranensis or an undescribed species/supspecies.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken February-April. Larval hosts are unknown.

Hidripa ruscheweyhi female, Concepcion, Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.

I am not sure of the determinations of the male and female Hidripa from Concepcion, Paraguay. They may be H. ruscheweyhi, but they could also be H. taglia or H. paranensis or an undescribed species/supspecies.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen, and the night-flying males detect 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.

Hidripa ruscheweyhi 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.

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.

Return to Hidripa Genus

Goto South American Saturniidae Directory

Goto Main Saturniidae Index