DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris harrisorum (wingspan: males: 65-75mm; females: 65-84mm // forewing length: males 37-39; females: ) flies at low altitude (900 - 1800 m) in eastern Andean forests in
Peru: Amazonas (probably harriamazonica), San Martin, Cusco, Pasco (HT) (HM) and I suspect Huanuco, Junin and Puno;
Ecuador: Napo, Morona-Santiago, Zamora Chinchipe and probably Pastaza; and in
Bolivia: La Paz and Cochabamba.

Probably those specimens from Cusco, Peru, south into Bolivia, are Automeris harriyungasiana.

Visit Automeris cecrops Group Comparison Plate: Ecuador for thumbnail images and notes on all the Automeris species found in Ecuador that belong in the Automeris cecrops Group.

The abdomen is black, rarely narrowly ringed with gray and having a light brown tuft. A dark, almost straight, apical, transverse line divides the forewing into a dark basal area followed by a lighter median area and then a much lighter post median area. This dark line meets the inner margin at approximately the midpoint.

Automeris harrisorum male, Oxapampa, Pasco, Peru, 2000m,
July 2004, courtesy of Hubert Mayer.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths have been taken in February (and July; tentative) in Ecuador; February, July-August and November-December in Peru and in January-February-March in Bolivia.

Automeris harrisorum natural larval hosts are unknown.

Automeris harrisorum female,
eastern Andes from Ecuador to Bolivia, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe copyright.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen. Males use highly developed antennae to track the airbourne pheromone to locate the females.

Automeris harrisorum male, Pasco, Peru,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck, id and slight digital repair by Bill Oehlke

Automeris harrisorum male, Pasco, Peru,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck, id and slight digital repair by Bill Oehlke

Automeris harrisorum female, Pasco, Peru,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck, id and slight digital repair by Bill Oehlke

It is very difficult to distinguish between many of the Automeris species. The moth images sent to me from Ecuador by Horst Kach seem a good match for Lemaire's descriptions and images and his notes on distribution for A. harrisorum. I am by no means certain of the identifications I have proposed. Please send comments/corrections to Bill Oehlke. I believe both Cando and Hollin (Hollin, however, can refer to a very large area in eastern Ecuador) are near Tena in western Napo province.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in large clusters and larvae are highly gregarious. Urticating spines offer the Automeris harrisorum larvae much protection.

Automeris harrisorum sixth instar,
eastern Andes from Ecuador to Bolivia, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe copyright.

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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