DISTRIBUTION:

Ormiscodes rufosignata (wingspan: males: 45-50mm; females: 50-58mm) flies in
Chile: Concepcion: Valdivia; Valparaiso: La Cruz; Santiago: Colina; Nuble: Chillan.

I believe this species flies at low altitude.

Ormiscodes rufosignata is more uniformly dark brown-grey compared to amphinome or nigrosignata. It also tends to lack the white suffusions found on those species. The abdomen is all black and the forewing pm line is not recurved toward the body as it approaches the costa.

Abdomen is dorsally and laterally black, with out rings, but has some orange tufts on the sides.

I find Ormiscodes rufosignata is also similar to Ormiscodes penai but penai usually has yellow scaling on body side of pm line, while same yellow scaling is lacking in rufosignata. Rufosignata does have reddish brown scaling outside pmline from the costa about 1/3 of the way down toward the inner margin. The same area in penai is white.

The forewing lower half of the basal area is almost pure, clear white in penai, but brownish grey in rufosignata.

Ormiscodes rufosignata male (verso), Valparaiso, Chile,
May 23, 2011, courtesy of Fernando Calvo,
id by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Ormiscodes rufosignata is probably single brooded throughout most, if not all, of its range. Adults are likely on the wing from May to June.

Ormiscodes rufosignata male, Valdivia, Chile,
on my home computer only.

Ormiscodes rufosignata female, Valdivia, Chile,
on my home computer only.

Ormiscodes rufosignata female, Brazil??
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

The image above from Eric van Schayck was indicated as being from Brazil. Perhaps there is an Ormiscodes species in Brazil, but I think this genus is limited to Chile and western Argentina.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen, and the males pick up and track the airbourne pheromone plume with their well-developed antennae.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

Eggs overwinter. Early instar larvae probably feed gregariously. Late instar larvae become more widely dispersed on host trees and understory vegetation.

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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