DISTRIBUTION:

The Automeris bilinea tamphilus moth (wingspan: males: 80-96mm; females: 105mm) flies in
southeastern Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Parana, Sao Paulo, Santa Catarina; and in
Paraguay: UD: Cordillera, Paraguari, Guaira, Alto Parana, and (probably Caaguazu, Caazapa and maybe Itapua);
Argentina: Misiones (FP).

* Lemaire indicates neither A. b. bilinea nor A. b. tamphilus for Paraguay. His stated ranges, however, indicate A. b. tamphilus with a more southerly range in Brazil so I have tentatively identified the specimen from Guaira (above) as A. b. tamphilus. Ulf Drechsel also has A. bilinea listed for Concepcion Department in Paraguay, and I believe that is more likely the nominate subspecies. The difference seems more a slight variation in colour as there are no consistent differences in genitalia. Lemaire indicates tamphilus generally has a chrome coloured fw terminal area in sharper contrast to the more uniform baso-median area, and in that regard the specimen depicted above is more like the nominate subspecies.

Automeris bilinea tamphilus, San Pedro, Misiones, Argentina,
February 2007, RN (national route) Nš14, Dpto. (Departament) San Pedro,
Cesar Rojas Leg, courtesy of Fernando Penco, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in August-September and December-February if above id is correct.

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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