DISTRIBUTION:

Automerina caudatula (wingspan: males: 40-48mm; Females 67-71mm // forewing length: males: 22-25mm; females: 35-37mm) flies in tropical rain forests in
Ecuador: Napo: Satzayacu, northwestern Pastaza (WO?) and Morona Santiago; Orellana (PK);
French Guiana: Roura, Cayenne, Regina, Coralie, Saint-Jean-du-Maroni;
French Guiana: Nouragues: Heliport - Drop Zone, 4.088, -52.681, collected by MAS. Smith & R. Rougerie, 2011-02-05;
Brazil: Para, Amazonas;
Bolivia: Beni; and
Peru: Huanuco, Junin (1050m, VI), Cusco, Madre de Dios, Puno; at elevations of 200-700 meters above sea level. Vladimir Izersky sends the image below, taken at 1050m.

Automerina caudatula male, Rio Venado, Junin, Peru,
January 3, 2009, 1050m, courtesy of Vladimir Izersky.

Automerina caudatula male, Amazonia Lodge, Madre de Dios, Peru,
48mm, 485m, May 16, 2012, courtesy of Jim Vargo.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are at least two generations (probably three) each year with peak flights in May-June-July and again in October-November-December-January-February.

Larval hosts are unknown.

The forewing cells in the following two images are not nearly as prominent as they are in Lemaire's book or on the Thibaud Decaens images above.

Automerina caudatula (male), French Guiana, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Automerina caudatula (female), French Guiana, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Automerina caudatula moths are most active from 11:00 pm until 1:30 am.

Females call in the night-flying males via an airbourne pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae have urticating spines and are gregarious in their habits.

Scoli are probably arranged as short, dense rosettes.

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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