Automeris jucunda
(Cramer, 1779) Phalaena Attacus

Photo courtesy of Bernhard Jost.

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

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DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris jucunda (wingspan: males: 56-72mm; females: 73-90mm) flies in
Panama: Panama, Cochle (possibly Darien and Embera (WO?));
Lesser Antilles: Saint-Vincent, Grenada;
(possibly Trinidad and Tobago (WO?));
Venezuela: Bolivar, Amazonas, Sucre, Distrito Federal, Aragua, Carabobo, Tachira, (possibly Monagas, Anzoategui, Miranda, Guarico, Cojedes, Portuguesa, Barinas, Apure (WO?));
Colombia: Valle, Choco, Cundinamarca, (possibly Norte de Santander, Santander, Boyaca, Antioquia, Caldas (WO?)); and
Ecuador: Napo: Misahualli (TS) and Pichincha, and possibly in Sucumbios, Carchi and Imbabura.

Jacqueline Y. Miller reports it in Honduras.

This species has been taken at elevations ranging from 40 meters to 1400 meters above sea level.

Automeris jucunda male, Bel Air Plantation, southern Grenada,
November 2009, courtesy of Pat and Tony James.

Automeris jucunda male, Puerto Misahualli, Napo, Ecuador,
October 2001, 400m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard.

Automeris jucunda male, Puerto Misahualli, Napo, Ecuador,
October 2003, 400m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard.

Lemaire groups hamata, balachowskyi, wayampi, rostralis, duchartrei, goodsoni, meridionalis, jucunda, tamsi, chacona, chacona rectilineata and rectilinea based on genitalia, with most having the yellow ring of the eyespot very narrowly surrounded with black as well as a suffusion of black scales on the inner side of the hindwing yellow postmedial band (except for meridionalis and jucunda). These moths do not have ringed abdomens.

Automeris jucunda male, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe copyright.

Males tend to be variable but usually have a primary yellow ground colour. The pupil tends to be large, surrounded by a light iris. The yellow outer ring is faint or non-existent. The female has a much darker forewing. Both sexes lack the yellow post medial band on the hindwing.

Automeris jucunda (female), Venezuela, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Automeris jucunda?? male, Curacao,
tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

Curacao is a small island country off the northern coast of Venezuela. There are probably several species found in Venezuela that are also found on Curacao.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in April-September. Tony James reports a specimen on the wing in November on Grenada.

Natural hosts are unknown.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen to call in the night-flying males.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE: Early instar larvae are highly gregarious. Larvae have urticating spines, typical of Hemileucinae, throughout their development. Image courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

Automeris jucunda sixth instar larva, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe copyright.

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.

Fagus Prunus Robinia pseudoacacia.....

Beech Cherry Black locust/False acacia

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