Automeris meridionalis, male, courtesy of Viktor Suter, via Bernhard Wenczel.

DISTRIBUTION:

The Automeris meridionalis moth (wingspan: males: 68-91mm; females: 93-99mm) flies in humid to dry tropical forests and savannas at elevations of 250 - 1600 m in
Venezuela: Miranda, Distrito Federal, Aragua, Carabobo, Barinas, Merida, (possibly Vargas, Guarico, Cojedes, Portuguesa, Apure (WO?)); and
Colombia: Huila, Putamayo, Cundinamarca, (possibly Arauca, Boyaca, Casanare, Meta (WO?)).

Lemaire groups hamata, balachowskyi, wayampi, rostralis, duchartrei, goodsoni, meridionalis, jucunda, tamsi, chacona, chacona rectilineata and rectilinea based on genitalia, with all 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).

Automeris meridionalis, Henri Pittier National Park, Aragua, Venezuela,
January 12, 2006, courtesy of Phil Torres.

These moths do not have ringed abdomens.

The hindwing eyespot has a relatively large pupil and the yellow ring lacks black scaling as does the inner border of the yellow postmedial band.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in April-May-June-July, September-October-November, December-January, suggesting at least three flights.

Larvae feed on Fagus, Quercus and Salix. Robinia pseudoacacia has also been utilized.

Automeris meridionalis, female, courtesy of Viktor Suter, via Bernhard Wenczel.

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 meridionalis (female), Venezuela, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

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

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae. 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 Quercus Robinia pseudoacacia....... Salix

Beech Oak False acacia Willow

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