DISTRIBUTION:

The Automeris illustris moth (wingspan: males: 89-101mm; females: 91-122mm) flies in
Brazil: Bahia; Goias; Minas Gerais; Parana (CM); Rio de Janeiro; Santa Catarina; Rio Grande do Sul; and in
Argentina: Misiones, and in
Paraguay: (Itapua WO??);
and Uruguay: Montevideo, at elevations of 300-700 metres above sea level.

Automeris illustris male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
January 22, 2010, courtesy of Larry Valentine, id by Bill Oehlke.

Automeris illustris male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
August 18, 2012, courtesy of Larry Valentine, tentative id by Bill Oehlke,
after extensive digital repair; note non-scalloped pm line of hindwing.

Lemaire groups illustris, amoena, amoena rotunda and coresus as having abdomens that are usually orange, matching the basal area of the hindwings. The forewing postmedial line is preapical.

A. amoena generally has a larger, more rounded pupil with a lighter iris; A. amoena rotunda has a concave outer margin and a markedly concave postmedial line; A. coresus has a basic ground colour of ash-gray.

Automeris illustris male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
January 22, 2010, courtesy of Larry Valentine, id by Bill Oehlke.

antennae: rusty yellow
labial palpi: dark brown
frons: orange brown:
thorax: dorsally brown, ventrally orange
legs: dark brown
femoral fringes: orange

Automeris illustris, northeastern Uruguay,
September 27, 2010, courtesy of Christopher Prevett, id by Bill Oehlke.

The broad, subtriangular forewing is moderately produced at the apex. Basic ground colour is greyish-beige, lighter and more yellowish on the outer margin of the subterminal band. The am and pm lines are same colour as rest of wing, perhaps slightly darker and narrowly lined with yellowish beige on facing sides.

The pm line is slightly preapical and moderately concave. The discal spot is subrectangular and grey with a small white dot in the center and small black dots along the corners and extensions.

The hindwing basal median area is orange. The slightly undulate pm line is black, distinct and inwardly, narrowly lined with yellow, outwardly narrowly lined with beige.

The submarginal band is brown, outwardly lined with beige. The hw veins are covered with orange in the entire postmedian area. The terminal area of both wings is a grey-orange.

Automeris illustris male, Paraguay, September 13, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Automeris illustris male, Paraguay, September 8, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

The ventral surface is dull orange with the hindwing darker than the forewing. The distinct black fw cell spot is large with a small white center. The hw cell spot is a small white dot.

Automeris illustris male (verso), Paraguay, September 13, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Automeris illustris male (verso), Paraguay, September 8, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Visit Automeris illustris male, Yacutinga, Misiones, Argentina, September 13, 2010, courtesy of Ezequiel Osvaldo Nunez Bustos.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are at least three generations annually with peak flights in January-March, May-June and September-October.

Ezequiel Osvaldo Nunez Bustos reports a September flight in Yacutinga, Misiones, Argentina.

Larry Valentine has reported specimens January 22, October 2, November 6 in Itanhandu, southeastern Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Automeris ilustris male, Itanhandu, southeastern Minas Gerais, Brazil,
October 2, 2010, courtesy of Larry Valentine, id by Bill Oehlke.

Natural hosts include Platanus orientalis and Ficus benjamina. In the lab, Liguistrum, Syringa and Crataegus have been used successfully.

Automeris illustris female, Paraguay, September 10, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Automeris illustris female (verso), Paraguay, September 10, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use their more highly developed antennae to seek out females who release an airbourne pheromone into the night sky. Most activity occurs between 10:30 pm and 12:30 am.

Automeris illustris female by Viktor Suter, courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE: Early instar larvae are quite gregarious and have urticating spines. Image courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel. Pupation is in a rather flimsy cocoon. Larva fastens itself via silk pad to inside of cocoon and then moults one final time 3-4 days after spinning.

Automeris illustris sixth instars, Paraguay, May 18, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Automeris illustris sixth instar, Paraguay, May 18, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

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.

Crataegus Ficus benjamina Liguistrum Platanus orientalis..... Syringa

Hawthorn Fig Privet Sycamore Lilac

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Return to Automeris Genus

Automeris amoena amoena male, Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.

Automeris amoena amoena resting male, Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.