DISTRIBUTION:

The Automeris amanda subobscura moth (wingspan: males: 77-82mm; females: 87-110mm) flies in
Colombia: Cundinamarca, and in
Ecuador: Napo; Tungurahua; Morona Santiago; and possibly in Pastaza and Cotopaxi, and possibly in
northwestern Peru.

This subspecies has been taken at elevations between 1300m and 2300m.

Automeris amanda subobscura male, Ecuador,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck, id by Bill Oehlke.

Ground colour is dark blackish gray with a heavy suffusion of silver in the forewing basal and median areas. The cell is concolorous. The fw am and pm lines are dark and distinct. There are often silvery scales around the oblong hindwing pupil which is split by a white streak and has a light suffusion of silvery-white scales. The hindwing postmedian lines are slightly undulate. there also seems to be a more orangey-brown form.

Automeris amanda subobscura male, Ecuador,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Automeris amanda subobscura male, Ecuador,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in January-February-March, May and December. Larval hosts are unknown.

Automeris amanda subobscura, female, Napo, Ecuador, Luigi Racheli.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use their more highly developed antennae to seek out females who release an airbourne pheromone into the night sky.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters of 6-40+ on hostplant twigs. Larvae have urticating spines and are gregarious, especially in the early instars.

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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