The image directly above from Ceara shows much more red than other specimens on this page. It may therefore be Rothschildia belus known more from southeastern Brazil. The two species are almost identical in appearance as adult moths, but there is perhaps more of a difference in larvae. It is also possible that the specimen from Ceara is an undescribed species or subspecies of either belus or erycina. I am also going to post it in the belus page where it most likely belongs. (December 10, 2016)

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Tribe: Attacini, Blanchard, 1840 Genus: Rothschildia, Grote, 1896

DISTRIBUTION:

Rothschildia erycina (wingspan: males: 93-113mm; females: ?) occurs in its various subspecies from Mexico and Central America to Argentina.

The nominate subspecies flies in French Guiana: Kaw, Baduel;
throughout Venezuela;
southern Trinidad;
throughout Guyana;
throughout Suriname;
Brazil: Para (GL), Amazonas: Manaus (CAAN), Mato Grosso: Nova Bandeirantes (WA), Goias: Rio Quente (WM), Ceara (SB) probably belus, probably all states west of those mentioned;
eastern Colombia: Amazonas (RTN); Meta: Villavicencio (GN)
eastern Ecuador: Sucumbios (LTR), Napo (HK), Orellana (LTR), Pastaza (LTR), Tungurahua (LTR), Morona-Santiago (LTR) and Zamora Chinchipe (LTR);
eastern Peru: Amazonas (LTR), Junin (VI) probably Loreto (DR), San Martin, Huanuco, Pasco; and
Paraguay: Cordillera, San Pedro (PS), probably Amanbay, Canindeyu, Concepcion. I suspect nominate erycina is limited to Guyano-Aamazonian regions of South America.

A very similar species Rothschildia belus flies in eastern Brazil and possibly in north eastern Argentina.

Ezequiel Osvaldo Núñez Bustos sent me a paper in August 2015 which includes Rothschildia e. erycina in northeastern and northwestern Argentina.

Visit Rothschildia erycina erycina male, Ecuador, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

R. erycina has been placed in the subgroup of six species characterized by 1) two longitudinal white stripes on the dorsal surface of the abdomen, 2) two or three subapical spots on the forewing and 3) a white prothoracic collar: jacobaeae; condor; tucumani; erycina; belus; hopfferi.

Jacobaeae, condor and tucumani have large rounded spots, while those of erycina, belus and hopfferi are narrow triangles.

Rothschildia erycina erycina male, Napo Province, Ecuador,
November 22, 2003, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Rothschildia erycina erycina male (verso), Napo Province, Ecuador,
November 22, 2003, courtesy of Horst Kach.

R. erycina erycina has the carmen red ground colour of jacobaeae but is distinguished from it by a much produced forewing apex and the much reduced subapical spots.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

In Mato Grosso, Brazil, Eurides Furtado reports this species is bivoltine in Brazil with moths on the wing from January-April, into very early May, and again from September-December. Cassio Akira Azevedo Nakano reports an April flight in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.

The same appears true in Napo, Ecuador, with Horst Kach sending images of specimens taken in February and November.

Vladimir Izersky reports them on the wing in January-February in Rio Tambo, Junin, Peru, at elevations from 570-662m.

Shirley Sekarajasingham reports a November flight in northeastern Peru.

FGS reports flights in February and July in French Guiana.

Rodrigo Torres Nunez reports a September 23, 1999, flight in southern Colombia: Amazonas: Leticia.

Sylvia Barroso reports a July flight (more likely belus) in Ceara, Brazil.

Two reports of a July flight may be an indication that there are three annual flights in some areas.

Visit Rothschildia erycina erycina male and female, Rio Tambo, Junin, Peru, courtesy of Vladimir Izersky.

Rothschildia erycina erycina, male, Hollin, Napo, Ecuador,
February 28, 2006, courtesy/copyright Horst Kach.

Rothschildia erycina erycina, male (verso), Hollin, Napo, Ecuador,
February 28, 2006, courtesy/copyright Horst Kach.

Rothschildia erycina erycina male, Leticia, Amazonas, Colombia,
93mm, September 23, 2011, courtesy of Rodrigo Torres Nunez.

Rothschildia erycina erycina male, Mora, Colombia,
113mm, courtesy of Rodrigo Torres Nunez.

Rothschildia erycina larvae feed on Ailanthus altissima, Coutarea hexandra, Exostema mexicanum and Ligustrum in captivity, and they have been documented on Antonia ovata and Cenostigma macrophyllum in the wild.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use well-developed antennae to seek out females which scent at night.

Pair usually remains coupled for up to twenty hours.

Based on the number of images of females that have been submitted, that gender must respond readily to light attraction.

Rothschildia erycina female, courtesy/copyright of Kirby Wolfe.

Rothschildia erycina, Paraguay, courtesy/copyright Ulf Drechsel.

Rothschildia erycina male, Paraguay, courtesy/copyright Ulf Drechsel.

Rothschildia erycina female, northeastern Peru,
November 18, 2007, courtesy of Shirley Sekarajasingham.

Rothschildia erycina erycina female, Maynas, Loreto, Peru,
December 25, 2004, courtesy of Dan Rosenberg, id by Bill Oehlke.

Rothschildia erycina female, Satipo, Junin, Peru,
December 24, 2018, courtesy of Conce Pendula.

Rothschildia erycina erycina female, Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia,
courtesy of Gregory Nielsen, id by Billl Oehlke

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

Rothschildia erycina eggs, Paraguay, courtesy/copyright Ulf Drechsel.

Rothschildia erycina first instars, Paraguay, courtesy/copyright Ulf Drechsel.

Eggs are large and white and incubate for only seven days. Larvae are particularly striking in fifth instar. Photo courtesy of Chris Conlan.

In Costa Rica, Dan Janzen has taken several photos of erycina larvae either descending tree trunks or on the ground, but this cocoon seems typical of Rothschildia, fastened with a strong peduncle to a leafy branch. It is interestingtowatch theRothschildiaspin their cocoons, especially in the early stages when the larva, tirelessly weaving back and forth, up and down, can still be seen through the outer silk.

First instar larvae are gregarious and banded with black rings on a yellow-orange body. Image courtesy of Ian Mascall.

Rothschildia erycina third instar, Paraguay, courtesy/copyright Ulf Drechsel.

Fourth instar larvae are solitary and are beginning to take on some of the spectacular colouration of the final instar. Image courtesy of Ian Mascall.

Red, white and black larval colours usually suggest toxins or an unpleasant taste to would-be predators, but predatory beetles do not miss a chance to feast on a plump erycina larva.

This muddy brown pupa has been removed from its cocoon. It will emerge whether reinserted into its cocoon or some other artificial wrap or simply left as a naked pupa. Image courtesy of Angelo Santin.

Rothschildia erycina larva, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

Rothschildia erycina final instars, Guataparo, Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela,

August 4, 2019, courtesy of Cesar Orlando Perez, via Renato Matteo.

The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Ailanthus altissima Antonia ovata Cenostigma macrophyllum....... Coutarea hexandra Exostema mexicanum Ligustrum

ailanthus Antonia ovata Cenostigma macrophyllum Coutarea Princewood Privet

Return to Main Saturniidae Index

Return to Rothschildia Index

The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion.

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

"Rothschildia" is chosen to honour one of the Rothschilds, possibly William.

The species name, erycina, is for Eryx of Sicily who became known to the Romans as Venus Erycina, more commonly known as Venus, the beautiful goddess of love.

Rothschildia erycina erycina male, Anaconda oil fields, 18k East by South-east of the town of Coca,
otherwise known as Puerto Francisco de Orellana, on the Rio Napo, Orellana, Ecuador,
April 14, 2011, 290m, courtesy of Tony Hoare via Peter Bruce-Jones.

Rothschildia erycina erycina male, Peru, courtesy of Eric van Schayck

Rothschildia erycina erycna female, Peru, courtesy of Eric van Schayck

Rothschildia erycina erycina female, French Guiana, courtesy of Robert Vuattoux

Visit Rothschildia erycina erycina males and females from Brazil.