DISTRIBUTION:

Molippa bertrandoides (wingspan: males: 70-74mm; females: 77mm // forewing length: males: 35-38mm; females: 40mm) flies in southern
Peru: Pasco: Oxapampa enviroment: La Suiza, 2180 m; and Pasco: Pozuzo, 400-700 m;
Peru: Pasco: Oxapampa, collected by J. Boettger, 2000-06-04, 2002-01-08. (Mirror)

Molippa bertrandoides is very similar to M. bertrandi, but bertrandoides is significantly smaller and somewhat lighter in appearance. There is a diffuse ut prominent off-white bar in the postmedian area of the forewing of bertrandoides that runs, uninterrupted, from the bottom of the dark apical patch to the inner edge of the dark patch near the anal angle, splitting the pm area almost in half. In bertrandi this same off-white band is greatly reduced in width and is totally obliterated by a dark region between veins M1 to M3.

Visit Peru: Molippa Chart.

Molippa bertrandoides HT male, 70mm, Pozuzo, Pasco, Peru,
December 13, 2001, 400-700m, on my home computer only.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This species has been taken in April and October-December. There may be additional flight months.

Larvae will probably feed on willows and prunes: Salix caprea, Salix helvetica, Prunus.

Molippa bertrandoides female, April, 2003, Pasco, Peru, from Entomo-Satsphingia 1 (1): 21 – 26 (April 2008), courtesy of Ron Brechlin.

Molippa bertrandoides female, Peru courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Molippa bertrandoides AT female, 77mm, Oxapampa, Pasco, Peru,
October 15, 2001, 2180m, on my home computer only.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of their abdomens to "call" the males. Males use their antennae to hone in on the airbourne pheromone.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are probably deposited in clusters and larvae feed gregariously. Typical of Hemileucini species, larvae have urticating spines. The species name indicates a strong resemblance to a small M. bertrandi, which was named in honour of M. Bertrand.

Larval Food Plants

It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the anticipated name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Prunus Salix caprea Salix helvetica .......

Prune Goat Willow/Pussy Willow Swiss Willow

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

Return to Molippa Genus

Return to South American Saturniidae Direcotry

Return to Main WLSS Index

Support this website and visit other insect sites by clicking flashing butterfly links to left or right.

Molippa 2008