Automeropsis umbrata
(Boisduval, 1875) (Io)

Automeropsis umbrata (female), Brazil, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

TAXONOMY: Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802 Family Saturniidae Boisduval, [1837] 1834 Subfamily: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866 Tribe: Hemileucini, Grote & Robinson, 1866 Genus: Automeropsis, Lemaire, 1969

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DISTRIBUTION:

Automeropsis umbrata (forewing length: males: 31-33mm; females: 42-52mm) flies in
southeastern Brazil: Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Parana, Santa Catarina.
Brazil: Parana: Joinville: Guaratuba, dirtroad to Castelhanos village (right turn + ca.3 km), 2008-09-02 (Mirror).

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in March, July-August and September-October, suggesting at least three broods annually.

Larval hosts are unknown.

Automeropsis umbrata male: wingspan: 60 mm, August,
São Bento do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil, courtesy of Eurides Furtado.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the night-flying males via an airbourne pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae have urticating spines and are gregarious in their habits.

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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