DISTRIBUTION:

Meroleucoides kaechi (wingspan: males: 63mm; females: 67mm // forewing length: males: 30-36mm; females: 39-41mm) flies in
Ecuador: Carchi: El Angel Ecological Reserve; at elevations around 2710-3000m.

Very similar to penai (Napo, Sucumbios) and nadiana (Pichincha), but kaechi is darker with less contrast Visit Ecuadorian Meroleucoides Comparison Table.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in February, May and November. There may be additional flight months. Larval hosts are unknown.

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.

Meroleucoides kaechi AT female, Carchi, Ecuador,
67mm, on my home computer only.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters on hostplant foliage.

Meroleucoides kaechi larvae are probably highly gregarious and probably 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.

This species name, kaechi, is honorific for collector/breeder Horst Kaech.

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