DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris punochacona (wingspan: males: 74-90mm; females: 93-100mm // forewing length: males: 38-46; females: 48-51mm) flies in
Peru: Puno: Limbani: Sandia, collected by Bernhard Wenczel, 2005-04-01;
Peru: Puno: Carcel Punko, collected by J. Boettger, 2005-04-15.

Specimens have been taken at elevations of 2593m.

Automeris punochacona pair, Carcel Punko, Puno, Peru,
courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

The male forewing apex is not at all or only slightly produced, Ground colour is reddish brown (pinkish brown (BW)), perhaps with a darker red or clear, deep orange on hindwings than in related species. The hindwing ocellus is relatively large with a subtriangular black pupil that is usually almost completely covered with a heavy suffusion of white. The surrounding iris is a light grey-brown. The outer ring is thick and black.

Bernhard Wenczel writes, "I’ve reared them, and it was very difficult to shoot pictures of the adult – especially the males. It seems their scales have an order to reflect the light. Most pictures turned out to be green or in all rainbow colors but not the pinkish brown you see when you regard them just with your eyes. As soon as you have a lens between the wing and your eye the appearance of the forewing color changes. And then of course, the larva of Automeirs chacona doesn’t look like the one of A. punochacona.

Automeris punochacona pair, Carcel Punko, Puno, Peru,
courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in April. Moths probably also fly in other months.

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 punochacona?? female, Peru, courtesy of Eric van Schayck,
?corrected? to Automeris punochacona from chacona, by Bill Oehlke.

Automeris punochacona female, Puno, Peru,
courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

Automeris punochacona female, Puno, Peru,
courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

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.

Automeris punochacona, seventh instar, Puno, Peru,
courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

Automeris punochacona, seventh instar, Puno, Peru,
courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

Automeris punochacona, seventh instar, Puno, Peru,
courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

Automeris punochacona, seventh instar, Puno, Peru,
courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

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.

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Automeris punochacona male, Puno, Peru,
on my home computer only.

Automeris punochacona female, Puno, Peru,
on my home computer only.