DISTRIBUTION:

Hylesia subcana (wingspan: males: 40-48mm; females: 44mm) flies in
Brazil: Rio de Janeiro; Sao Paulo; Parana; Santa Catarina.

The postmedial line is slightly "s"-shaped on a broad, rounded forewing with a slightly convex outer margin.

In the male the antennae are rusty yellow, the thorax is dark brown, mixed with yellow, and the abdomen is dark brown and ringed with yellow. Markings are generally quite weak, with the darker brown of the markings offset by more greyish ground colour.

The female has very short bidentate antennae. Her abdomen and ground colour are almost black, with a large, prominent discal spot. Ventrally she is dark brown without prominent markings except for the discal spot of the hindwing.

Specimens have been taken at elevations of 800-1300m.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Larval hosts are unknown.

This species probably broods continuously on a three month cycle. Moths have been taken December-May.

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 subcana 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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