DISTRIBUTION:

The Molippa sabina moth (wingspan: males: 67-83mm; females: 80-87mm) flies in
southeastern Brazil: Espirito Santa; Sao Paulo; Parana; Santa Catarina; Rio Grande do Sul; southern Minas Gerais (LV and WWH), and probably Rio de Janeiro (WO?).

Molippa sabina, Posada del Barco, La Pedrera, Rocha Department, Uruguay,
January 1, 2012, courtesy of Christopher Prevett, id by Bill Oehlke.

This species (in the male) has a more elongate forewing with a produced and truncated apex, distinguishing it from very similar Molippa simillima, Peru: Junin; and Molippa nibasa, Mexico. Additional species that have a very strong resemblance to M. sabina are the following:
Molippa flavotegana, Nicaragua; and
Molippa flavodiosiana, Peru: Madre de Dios;
Molippa flavopiurica, Peru: Piura;
Molippa sinyaevorum, Bolivia.

Molippa sabina male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, October 6, 2009, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Flight times (probably trivoltine) vary from year to year, but coincide with the rainy season, August, October-November; January-April.

Natural larval hosts include Bauhinia, Erythrina and Mimosa. Larry Valentine has encountered wild larvae on at least three different host plants in southern Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Molippa sabina female, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, October 4, 2009, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

Molippa sabina female, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, October 4, 2009, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

Molippa sabina female, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, October 4, 2009, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

Molippa sabina female, Pedro Leopoldo, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
October 1, 2011, courtesy of Wolfgang Walz Hillermann.

Molippa sabina female, Pedro Leopoldo, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
October 1, 2011, courtesy of Wolfgang Walz Hillermann.

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:

In his Hemileucinae 2002, Lemaire indicates there is some possible confusion regarding larvae of simillima, basina and sabina on some of the plates and descriptions in earlier publications. Lemaire does not depict the sabina larva.

I am quite confident that the moths from Itanhandu on this page are indeed Molippa sabina. They originated from the wild found larvae depicted immediately below, showing at least three colour forms.

Molippa sabina mature larva, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, courtesy of Larry Valentine

Molippa sabina mature larva (grey form/colour), Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, courtesy of Larry Valentine

Molippa sabina mature larva (green form/colour), Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, courtesy of Larry Valentine

Molippa sabina mature larva (yellow form/colour), Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, courtesy of Larry Valentine

Molippa sabina cocoon, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, courtesy of Larry Valentine

I think the larvae depicted below are much more likely to be Molippa basina. Perhaps the spelling similarity is at least partially responsible for the confusion.

Eggs are deposited in clusters and larvae feed gregariously, probably at night while resting gregariously by day near the ground on the trunk of the host. Typical of Hemileucini species, larvae have urticating spines. Larvae accept willow and oak in captivity. I think the larvae depicted to the right is much more likely to be Molippa basina.

Molippa sabina more likely binasa, sixth instar, courtesy of Franz Ziereis

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.

Acacia mearnsii Bauhinia Erythrina Mimosa Peltophorum dubium....... Quercus Salix

Black wattle Orchid Tree Coral Tree/Tiger Claw Mimosa Yellow acacia Oak Willow

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