DISTRIBUTION:

Ptiloscola photophila (wingspan: males: 45-61mm; females: 70-79mm) flies in
Suriname: Maroewym Valley; Brownsberg, Brokopondo;
Venezuela: Bolivar;
Guyana: Kartabo, Potaro;
French Guiana: Saint-Jean-du-Maroni, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Saul, Kaw;
Brazil: Amapa, Para, Amazonas, Mato Grosso;
Colombia: Meta, Caqueta and probably Amazonas and Putamayo;
Ecuador: Napo, Morona-Santiago and probably Pastaza;
Peru: Loreto, Huanuco, Junin, Pasco, Puno;
Paraguay UD: Concepcion, Canindeyu, Alto Parana, and (probably eastern San Pedro, Caaguazu and Caazapa); and
Bolivia: Santa Cruz, Chuqisaca; in tropical rain forests at elevations of 200 - 1200m.

Ptiloscola photophila male, Brazil, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Based upon Entomo-Satsphingia 1 (1): 21 – 26 (April 2008), (burmeisteri, paraguayensis, wolfei), by Ron Brechlin and Frank Meister, the moths previously listed as p. photophila from Alto Parana and Canindeyu, Paraguay, may be Ptiloscola paraguayensis. Those from Bolivia and Peru may be Ptiloscola wolfei, although I have an image from Huanuco which I am pretty sure is Ptiloscola photophila.

Perhaps P. photophila also flies in those two countries.

Ptiloscola photophila male, Huanuco, Peru.

This moth tends to be dark brown, and the forewing outer margin is convex. Ptiloscola photophila male, Huanuco, Peru, September, courtesy of Juan Chavez.

Ptiloscola photophila, Brownsberg, Brokopondo, Suriname,
February 24, 2009, courtesy of Shirley Sekarajasingham, id by Bill Oehlke

Ptiloscola photophila, Brownsberg, Brokopondo, Suriname,
February 24, 2009, courtesy of Shirley Sekarajasingham, id by Bill Oehlke

Ptiloscola photophila, Brownsberg, Brokopondo, Suriname,
February 24, 2009, courtesy of Shirley Sekarajasingham, id by Bill Oehlke

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Ptiloscola photophila flies in December-January-February, April and July-September, suggesting at least three broods each year. In French Guiana it has been taken in January, September and November. Johan van't Bosch indicates a July flight in Brownsberg, Suriname, while Shirley Sekarajasingham reports a February flight in the same area.

Ptiloscola comparison plate, from Entomo-Satsphingia 1 (1): 21 – 26 (April 2008), courtesy of Ron Brechlin.

Ptiloscola photophila female, Shima, Junin, Peru,
700m, courtesy of Peter Bruce-Jones, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

The female from Shima, Peru, courtesy of Peter Bruce-Jones, has been tentatively identified as photophila. I am not completely sure of this id. I have very few images of Ptiloscola females, and my most reliable reference for Ceratocampinae, Lemaire's Ceratocampinae 1988, is significantly dated.

The 2008 publication by Brechlin and Meister indicates photophila might be replaced by wolfei in Peru, but perhaps the two species are sympatric in Junin. The presence of the white spots in the forewing cell region are also suggestive of Ptiloscola bipunctata, which, according to Lemaire, is known only from northern Peru.

Perhaps the moth from Shima is Ptiloscola bipunctata, indicating a range extension into central Peru.

Ptiloscola photophila, female, Brownsberg National Park, Brokopondo, Suriname,
July 7, 2011, courtesy of Johan van't Bosch.

Ptiloscola photophila, male??, Brownsberg National Park, Brokopondo, Suriname,
July 7, 2011, courtesy of Johan van't Bosch.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Adult Ptiloscola photophila moths emerge from subterranean pupae, and males are slightly smaller than females.

Mating probably begins shortly after dusk with a calling period from 10:30 pm. to 1:00 am.

A light rainfall or mist seems to stimulate additional flight or eclosions resulting in more moths on the wing, or at least taken at lights, but overall this species is infrequent at lights and very erratic in flight when approaching.

Ptiloscola photophila courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Night-flying females lay translucent eggs on host plant leaves.

Larvae are well adorned with scoli and pupate underground in small chambers or among surface litter.

Care of larvae and pupae should be as for any Neotropical species.

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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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

The genus name "Ptiloscola" comes from, 'Ptilo, meaning wing and 'scola', probably meaning twisted or crooked, perhaps refering to the irregular shape of the pm line.

The species name "photophila" means "love of light".

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Ptiloscola 2008