DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris innoxia (wingspan: 74-80mm male; 98-102mm female) flies in
French Guiana: Roura, Kaw, Regina, Cayenne, Coralie, Saul, Saint-Jean-du-Maroni;
Guyana: Mazaruni-Potaro (Omai);
Venezuela: Bolivar and (probably Amazonas (WO?));
eastern Colombia Casanare (TD): (probably Vichada, Guainia, Guaviare, Arauca, Meta, Putamayo, Vaupes, Caqueta, Amazonas (WO?));
northern Peru (BW): Pasco (CC), (probably Loreto, Amazonas, San Martin, Huanuco (WO?)); and
Brazil: Amazonas and (probably Para and Roraima (WO?)) in tropical rain forest and humid savannas at elevations of 175 - 400 m.

Racheli and Racheli, 2005, report it in eastern Ecuador: Napo and Orellana and (possibly Sucumbios, Pastaza and Morona-Santiago (WO?). I suspect it also flies in Suriname : (probably Sipaliwini, Brokopondo, Marowijne (WO?) and other areas).

Automeris innoxia male, 74mm, Camp Patwa, Approuague, Kaw, French Guiana,
January, 2002, courtesy of Terry Stodard, id by Bill Oehlke.

The forewing apex is only slightly pointed; the outer margin then becomes straight, running obliquely to a rounded anal angle. The ground colour is a deeper brown compared to A. arminia, lighter only in the lower half of the subterminal/terminal area.

The cell is a slightly darker grey-brown than surrounding areas.

It might?? also fly in
Argentina: Misiones (FP?) although there is some question as to whether or not the specimen below is A. innoxia, A. pomifera or an undescribed species. The discovery of this moth in Argentina represents a significant range extension for both of the above mentioned species. The specimen seems to more closely resemble A. innoxia (WO), but A. pomifera which is known from as far south as southern Bolivia is a better match geographically.

Automeris innoxia/pomifera ??, San Pedro City, Misiones Province, Argentina,
January, 2007, courtesy of Fernando Penco.

Automeris innoxia more likely pomiferoides male, French Guiana, courtesy of Eric van Schayck, id by Bill Oehlke.

Automeris innoxia, male, reared on Fagus silvatica,
Villa Rica, Pasco, Peru, 600m, courtesy of Viktor Suter.

Automeris innoxia, male, reared on Fagus silvatica,
Villa Rica, Pasco, Peru, 600m, courtesy of Viktor Suter.

The moth depicted above has some of the characters of A. pomifera and some for A. innoxia. Based solely on elevation, it should be innoxia. The presence of the white dot in the forewing cell seems to confirm innoxia, but there are other characters more supportive of pomifera.

The fw pm line parallels the slightly concave outer margin and is quite removed from it.

The hw eyespot is relatively small, only slightly surrounded by yellow, and there is profuse red scaling in the basal and median areas.

Lemaire notes the great similarity between A. arminia and A. innoxia, and indicates A. arminia has the more falcate forewing and squarer anal angle.

Examination of male genitalia shows a significantly larger bulbus ejaculatorius in A. innoxia, about twice as long as the aedeagus, whereas in arminia the structures are the same length.

He also indicates in text that innoxia has a white dot in the forewing cell area, and this same dot is missing in arminia, but his images reveal just the opposite.

Racheli and Racheli also indicate the white spot is absent or greatly reduced but specify the ventral surface.

I would not be surprised to see these two moths synonymized after rearing to examine larvae and a larger series of genitalia.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths have been taken December-March and June-September.

Natural larval hosts are unknown, but Chris Conlan has reared them on Acacia baileyanna. Viktor Suter reports success on Fagus silvatica.

Automeris innoxia pair, Casanare (Colombia), T. Decaëns & D. Bonilla
and French Guiana, G. Lecourt

Automeris innoxia, female, reared on Fagus silvatica,
Villa Rica, Pasco, Peru, 600m, courtesy of Viktor Suter.

Automeris innoxia female, 103mm, Napo, Ecuador,
on my home computer only.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use their more highly developed antennae to seek out females who release an airbourne pheromone into the night sky.

Automeris innoxia male, Peru,
courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel and Viktor Suter.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Relatively small, greenish eggs are probably deposited in clusters of 6-40+ on hostplant twigs. Larvae have urticating spines and are gregarious, especially in the early instars.

Automeris innoxia, fifth instar, Villa Rica, Pasco, Peru,
400m, courtesy of Chris Conlan.

Automeris innoxia, final instar, Pozozzu, Pasco, Peru,
400m, courtesy of Viktor Suter.

Automeris innoxia, final instar, Pozozzu, Pasco, Peru,
400m, courtesy of Viktor Suter.

Automeris innoxia, final instar on Fagus silvatica, Villa Rica, Pasco, Peru,
600m, courtesy of Viktor Suter.

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.

Acacia baileyanna (CC) ....... Fagus silvatica (VS)

Cootamundra Wattle European Beech

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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 innoxia is a Latin word for harmless or innocent.

Automeris innoxia male, 74mm, Napo, Ecuador,
on my home computer only.