DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris niepelti (wingspan: males: 121-137mm; females: 145-150mm // forewing length: males: 61-68mm; females: 79-81mm) flies in hyper-humid tropical forests at elevations of 40-1700m in
western Colombia: Valle, Choco, Cundinamarca, and probably (WO?) in Cauca, Nariono, Tolima, Huila and western Putamayo.

It has also been confirmed in
western Ecuador: Pichincha (LR) and tentatively in Esmeraldas by Pinas and Manzano.

The Esmeraldas sighting is now confirmed by Horst Kach who sends images (recto/verso) of a Automeris niepelti males taken May 15, 2007 in Durango, Esmeraldas, Ecuador. The ventral surface of all four wings is orange.

I suspect this species is probably (WO?) also in western Imbabura and western Carchi, Ecuador. It might (WO?) also be in northern Manabi.

Either the size and shape of both the forewing and hindwing ocelli are quite variable or there is more than one species depicted on this page and pages linked from this page, listed as niepelti.

Automeris niepelti male, Cundinamarca, Colombia, D. Bonilla & T. Decaëns

Lemaire groups egeus, larra, boops, niepelti and postalbida. The abdomen is orange, the basal area of the hindwing is orange and the submarginal band of the hindwing is black (or dark red brown) in this grouping.

Niepelti and postalbida have dark rings, lacking in the other three species, on the dorsal surface of the abdomen. Niepelti has the submarginal band of the hindwing deeply notched and the pupil is often completely covered with white scales. Postalbida pupil is large and ovate, with the appearance of an egg, lying on its side when the moth is spread.

Determining Automeris species is becoming more and more difficult as there are a considerable number of very similar species, even some that are sympatric.

As of the end of 2011 there are now twelve Automeris species in the Egeus Group. I am hoping that the following keys on the Egeus Group Comparison Chart will help me and others with determinations. Location, wingspan, elevation can all be very helpful in making more accurate determinations. In some cases DNA barcoding analysis might be required to reach an accurate identification.

Automeris niepelti female and male, (top) Ecuador,
Automeris postalbida female and male, (bottom) Ecuador,
courtesy of Hubert Mayer copyright.

Egeus has the distinctive, small black pupil surrounded by a white "iris".

The eyespot of boops has a large dark pupil and a broader outer black ring than found in either egeus or larra. The submarginal band of larra is more deeply notched than that of boops.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in January-February, April-June, August-December.

Automeris niepelti larval hosts are unknown.

Automeris niepelti male, San Miguel de los Bancos, Pichincha, Ecuador,
950m, El Mirador del Rio Blanco Lodge, near Milpe, courtesy of Gail Hampshire,
id by Bill Oehlke.

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.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE: