Automeris banus proxima
Conte, 1906

Automeris banus proxima (male), Ecuador, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866 Tribe: Hemileucini, Grote & Robinson, 1866 Genus: Automeris, Hubner, [1819]

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DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris banus proxima (wingspan: males: 73-91mm; females: 87mm) flies in
southwestern Ecuador: Guayas, Canar and Bolivar, and probably also in Los Rios, and possibly in Tungurahua and Chimborazo.

This species is dark and resembles the nominate subspecies but the white-silvery scaling is much reduced. The abdomen is orange, ringed with black.

This species has been taken at elevations from sea level to 800m.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in January-February-March, August and November, suggesting at least three broods.

Larval hosts are unknown.

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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