DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris boops (forewing length: males: 59-63mm; females: 67-72mm) flies in
Venezuela: Federal District, Aragua;
eastern Ecuador: Napo and Tungurahua;
eastern Peru: San Martin, Cusco;
Bolivia: Santa Cruz; and
eastern Colombia.

This species has been taken at elevations from 1000m (HK) to 2000m.

Automeris boops, Napo, Ecuador, 1300m, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

Lemaire groups egeus, larra, boops, niepelti and postalbida. The abdomen is orange, the basal area of the hindwing is orange and the submarginal band of the hindwing is black (or dark red brown) in this grouping.

Niepelti and postalbida have dark rings, lacking in the other three species, on the dorsal surface of the abdomen. Niepelti has the submarginal band of the hindwing deeply notched and the pupil is often completely covered with white scales. Postalbida pupil is large and ovate, with the appearance of an egg, lying on its side when the moth is spread.

Egeus has the distinctive, small black pupil surrounded by a white "iris".

Determining Automeris species is becoming more and more difficult as there are a considerable number of very similar species, even some that are sympatric.

As of the end of 2011 there are now twelve Automeris species in the Egeus Group. I am hoping that the following keys on the Egeus Group Comparison Chart will help me and others with determinations. Location, wingspan, elevation can all be very helpful in making more accurate determinations. In some cases DNA barcoding analysis might be required to reach an accurate identification.

Automeris boops male (verso), January 10, 2009,
Hollin, Napo, Ecuador, 1000m, courtesy of Horst Kach.

The eyespot of boops has a large dark pupil and a broader outer black ring than found in either egeus or larra. The submarginal band of larra is more deeply notched than that of boops.

Automeris boops female, Hollin, Napo, Ecuador,
December 30, 2008, 1000m, courtesy of Horst Kach.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Venezuela: April-June, August-September, November-December
Ecuador: February, April, December-January
Peru: December-January
Bolivia: March

Boops is a montane species flying at medium altitudes. Data suggests there are probably three broods annually when weather permits.

The 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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Automeris boops courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel. more likely parageus??