Many knew Automeris species were desrcibed by Brechlin and Meister in 2011. I do not think that all three specimens depicted above are females of Automeris egeus; the differences in appearance are too great. It probably will be a couple of years, at least before all the females become known, either from breeding efforts or DNA barcoding analysis.

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

MIDI MUSIC "Someone to Watch Over Me" copyright C. Odenkirk ON.OFF <bgsound src="watch.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris egeus (forewing length: males: 51-68mm; females: 60-74mm; wingspan: males: 96-134mm; females: 103-135mm) flies on low elevation (0 - 1500 m) slopes in intertropical rain forests of
Surninam: Brokopondo District: Brownsberg (JvB); and
French Guiana: L'Oyapok, Saint-Georges, Route de Cayenne a Regina, Kaw, Kourou, Sinnamary, Saint-Jean-du-Maroni;
Guyana: Mazaruni-Potaro;
Brazil: Amapa, Paraiba, Mato Grosso, (probably Para (WO?)), Rio de Janeiro;
Venezuela: Bolivar, Tachira;
Trinidad: St. George East;
eastern Ecuador: Orellana, Napo: Satzayacu, Morona-Santiago and probably Pastaza;
Peru: Amazonas, Huanuco, Junin, Cusco, Madre de Dios, probably San Martin; and
Bolivia: La Paz, Beni; and is one of the largest species in the Automeris genus.

It probably also flies in eastern Colombia.

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 egeus, male, Rio Venado, Junin, Peru,
March 10, 2008, 1050m, courtesy of Vladimir Izersky, id by Bill Oehlke.

I have identified the specimen immediately above as A. egeus, primarily because of small black pupil with no suffusion of white, elevation of 1050m, broad forewing cell area, and of median area with tinge of lavender-grey. The image was sent as possibly A. boops which has a large hindwing pupil, restricted pale iris, generally flies above 1200m, with a narrower forewing cell. I could be wrong. (Bill Oehlke)

Automeris egeus male, Pampa Hermosa Resort, Junin, Peru,
100mm, November 2007, 1200m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard.

Automeris egeus male, Pampa Hermosa Resort, Junin, Peru,
97mm, December 2003, 300m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard.

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 (no white) surrounded by a white/beige "iris". The fw pm line is broadly preapical, more so than in A. larra.

Automeris egeus male, French Guiana,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck,
digital repair (right side copied to left) by Bill Oehlke.

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 egeus aberrant form, French Guiana, courtesy of Carlot Didier.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

French Guiana: January-February, October-December
Guyana: May
Suriname: July (JvB)
Venezuela: April, June
Ecuador: February-March, May-June, November
Peru: February, November-December
Brazil: March, October, December

Automeris egeus, Brownsberg, Brokopondo District, Suriname,
July 7, 2011, courtesy of Johan van't Bosch, id by Bill Oehlke

Automeris egeus male, Rio Shima, Junin, Peru,
mid May, 2014, 450m, courtesy of John Christensen.

Data suggest two or three broods annually.

In Europe, Bernhard Wenczel reports Fagus silvatica, Quercus turneri x pseudoturneri, and Rosacaeae are used with great success.

Lemaire reports willow species are accepted.

Thibaud Decaens has reared this species on Rosa species.

Automeris egeus male, Shima, Junin, Peru,
June 10, 2010, 700m, courtesy of Peter Bruce-Jones.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are laid in clusters. Larvae are gregarious and are well protected with urticating spines, which are particularly long in the first instar. First instar larvae have brown heads, black bodies dorsally with white longitudinal stripes and a much lighter ventral surface. Bernhard Jost images.

As larvae develop, they become slightly less gregarious, turn brown, and develop branching spines particularly long on the thorax and rear abdominal segments.

Pupae can be examined by cutting away part of the cocoon or simply making a longitudinal slit. Outlines of the antennae on the pupal shell help to sex the pupae. Males have wider antennae. In most cases cocoons can be sexed without opening as males tend to be considerably lighter in weight than females.

Automeris egeus male copyright Kirby Wolfe.

Note the single black dot in the hindwing eyespot.

Automeris egeus, Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Mato Grosso, Brazil,
August 6, 2007, 71m, courtesy/copyright of Johan van't Bosch.

Automeris egeus fifth instar, courtesy of Viktor Suter, via Bernhard Wenczel.

Larval Food Plants

Automeris egeus male, Santa Maria, Brazil, courtesy of Vernon Evans.

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.

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.

I am not aware of the source for Automeris, but egeus is probably from one of the characters in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream or more likely from Egeus, the father of Theseus, who slew the Minotaur in Greek mythology.

Automeris egeus male, French Guians,
on my home computer only.