DISTRIBUTION:

This attractive moth (wingspan: males: 67-71mm; females: 77-95mm) is found in the mountain ranges of Arizona and New Mexico and southward into
northern Mexico: Sonora, Durango, Chihuahua.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Single generation moths are on the wing from May to mid-August with the greater number flying in August.

In the wild, larvae are found on Ceanothus fendleri (Fendler ceanothus), Cercocarpus parvifolius (Mountain mahogany), Mimosa biuncifera (Catclaw mimosa), Quercus emoryi (Emory oak), Quercus oblongifolia (Mexican blue oak), and Quercus undulata (Wavy-leaf oak).

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Scenting begins around 11:00 pm, with most matings around midnight. The pair remains coupled until dawn. These moths mate quite readily in captivity.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in large clusters of 30-40 and early instar larvae are brown or black and gregarious. Young larvae often eat around tougher central leaf veins leaving a branch defoliated except for leaf skeletons. These two day old larvae will turn black after first moult and will have well developed black spines.

There is quite a change in larval appearance in later instars. This fourth instar larva has taken on white stripes and spines. In second and third instars larvae are predominantly black with black spines.

Spines elongate and turn grey-green, except for longer black anal and thoracic spines, in final instar. Ventral body surface is predominantly white. Dark red colouration appears on feet and below spiracular line.

As the larvae progress they become more solitary and turn more toward greyish-green. Pupation is in a loose, flimsy cocoon about one inch (3 cm) long spun up among ground debris. Reared stock often spins in frass or a sleeve fold near the base of the enclosure. Cocoons taken out of cold storage (probably not necessary) in May did not emerge until late July/early August, the normal flight time for this species.

Automeris cecrops pamina 3-4 instar, central Arizona, August 15, 2007,
5000', courtesy of Evan Rand.

Automeris cecrops pamina 3-4 instar, central Arizona, August 15, 2007,
5000', courtesy of Evan Rand.

Automeris cecrops pamina, Ruby, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, courtesy of David Bygott.

David writes, "This larva was observed on the ground in oak woods above 4000' in September."

Automeris cecrops pamina, Jemez Mountains, Sandoval County, New Mexico,
7000 feet, September 20, 2008, courtesy of Mac Lewis.

Automeris cecrops pamina, Jemez Mountains, Sandoval County, New Mexico,
7000 feet, September 20, 2008, courtesy of Mac Lewis.

Mac Lewis writes, "Saw four of these yesterday afternoon (September 20) hiking in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico. First two (see caterpillar1) were crossing the hiking trail. Then a pair well camouflaged in a shrub (see caterpillar2). We were at about 7,000 feet. Caterpillars were about 1.5-2 inches long. I foolishly touched one and the sensation in my finger was much like a bee sting, though there was no swelling, and the pain went away after 20 minutes or so."

This represents a significant range extension eastward as compared to range map in Tuskes, Tuttle and Collins The Wild Silkmoths of North America, a great reference.

Visit Automeris cecrops pamina, Arizona, courtesy of Leroy Simon.

Visit Automeris cecrops pamina larvae, Arizona, courtesy of Nick Richter.

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are the primary food plant and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae and/or on various interent resources. 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.

Quercus robar Ceanothus fendleri Cercocarpus parvifolius..... Mimosa biuncifera Quercus alba Quercus emoryi Quercus marilandica Quercus oblongifolia Quercus undulata

English oak Fendler ceanothus Mountain mahogany Catclaw mimosa White Oak Emory oak Blackjack oak Mexican blue oak Wavy-leaf oak

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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 cecrops is from Cecrops, the first king of Attica who was half-man half-snake who is credited as the founder of Greek civilization, and "pamina" is possibly from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, where the abused Princess Pamina has to fight off an evil mother and servants to find true love.