Paradirphia oblita oblita
pah-ruh-DIRF-ee-uhMob-LEE-tuh
(Lemaire, 1976) (Ormiscodes)

Paradirphia oblita moth courtesy of Leroy Simon.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866 Tribe: Hemileucini, Grote & Robinson, 1866 Genus: Paradirphia, Michener, 1949

DISTRIBUTION:

Paradirphia oblita oblita (wingspan: males: 51-63mm; females: 64-72mm) flies in
Ecuador: Sucumbios WO/LTR, Napo CL, Pastaza CL, Morona Santiago CL and Zamora Chinchipe CL, and in
Peru: Amazonas; Huanuco; Pasco (ESs); Junin: Shima (JC).

Paradirphia oblita oblita male, February 28, 2006,
Hollin, Napo Province, Ecuador, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Paradirphia oblita oblita male (verso), February 28, 2006,
Hollin, Napo Province, Ecuador, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Paradirphia oblita oblita male, Shima, Junin, Peru,
courtesy of John Christensen.

Note the black antennae, cherry-red rings on the dorsal surface of the abdomen and very dark, almost black, ground colour of the wings.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in January-February-March-April-May, July, September, November-December. This species probably broods continuously.

Larval hosts are unknown.

Paradirphia oblita oblita male, Peru,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck, id by Bill Oehlke.

Paradirphia oblita oblita male, Junin, Peru,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck, id by Bill Oehlke.

As per the male, the only strong/heavy white markings on the female's am and pm lines are near the costa.

Paradirphia oblita oblita female, 64mm, Pasco, Peru,
on my home computer only.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use highly developed antennae to locate females in daylight (black antennae) by tracking their airbourne pheromone plume.

At rest, moths fold wings over the body in typical Hemileucinae style.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters on hostplant foliage.

Paradirphia oblita larvae are highly gregarious and have the urticating spines typical of larvae from the Subfamily Hemileucinae.

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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