DISTRIBUTION:

The Arsenura beebei moth (wingspan: males: 100-139mm; females: 153-171mm) flies in
Venezuela: Miranda, Sucre, Bolivar, and probably Anzoategui, Monagas and Delta Amacuro;
eastern Colombia: ?;
Trinidad: Port of Spain, probably all of Trinidad;
Guyana: Potaro and probably Barima-Waini and Cayuni-Mazaruni;
French Guiana: Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni and Inini and probably all of northern French Guiana, Belizon, Camp Hervo, Kaw;
Brazil: Amapa; and
probably all of northern Suriname.

This species looks much like Arsenura ciocolatina but is larger than that species. White markings are reduced. A third and often fourth lobe are present in beebei.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are probably at least two generations of Arsenura beebei on the wing each year from January to February and from May to July. Moths prefer a light rain and are on the wing from 12:10-3:30 am

Arsenura beebei moth (female) courtesy of Thibaud Decaens,
more likely A. ciocolatina, Frederic Beneluz.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Arsenurini males use their antennae to seek out females which scent at night. The lower wings of the female (above) are much more rounded than those of the male. Females also tend to be much larger than males.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

The early instars of the Arenura species are frequently adorned with large thoracic "horns", which, in most cases, greatly diminish in successive moults until the larva is smooth skinned.

Arsenura beebei first instar courtesy of Robert Lemaitre.

Larvae descend tree trunks at maturity to pupate in subterranean chambers. Larvae of this genus get large and are smooth-skinned and without scoli, horns or spines in final instar.

The pupae have well developed cremasters and the spiracles are large. Images courtesy of Angelo Santin.

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.

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.

Some of the early describers/namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or history.

Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour a contempory friend/collector/etc.

I do not know the source of the genus name "Arsenura" chosen by Duncan in 1841.

The species name "beebei" is honourific for Beebei.

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