DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris pichichensis (wingspan: males: 66-77mm; females: 81-85mm) flies in Ecuador: Napo ?, Pichincha: Mindo Loma; Pululahua; Tandapi; Imbabura, Cotopaxi and Morona Santiago ? and possibly Pastaza ?.

I think the listings above for eastern Ecuador: Napo, Morona Santiago, and possibly Pastaza are more properly applied to "new species" Automeris pinasi, Brechlin, Kaech & Meister, 2013.

There are light gray scales in the forewing of this subspecies, absent in Automeris vomona.

Automeris pichichensis male, Cotacachi, Imbabura, Ecuador,
June 13, 2012, courtesy of Andreas Kay at http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreaskay/6800920022/,
id by Bill Oehlke.

This moth was once treated as a subspecies of Automeris vomona, but it has been elevated (2011, B&M) to full species status.

Visit Automeris cecrops Group Comparison Plate: Ecuador for thumbnail images and notes on all the Automeris species found in Ecuador that belong in the Automeris cecrops Group.

The moth depicted to the right is courtesy of Mark Gurney, Tandayapa Bird Lodge, located in northwestern Ecuador near Quito. The identification, by myself = Bill Oehlke, is based on geography, the light gray scales in the forewing, and the slightly concave postmedian line, bordered on the body side with yellow.

Ground colour seems to range from reddish brown in some specimens to olive-grey-brown in other specimens.

The abdomen is black with a beige anal tuft. The apical dark brown postmedian line is concave near the apex and then straightens to just inside the mid point of the inner margin. This line is inwardly lined with yellow and white, and, as far as I know, this is the only species in the group from western Ecuador with a light tracing of the pm line on the body side. The basal area, cell area and subtermial areas are darker than the much lighter median area and lower half of the terminal area.

The hindwing black postmedian band is thick and smooth and is separated from the brown subterminal band by a thin grey band.

This species is taken at elevations between 1530 and 2180m.

Automeris pichichensis male, Pululahua, Pichincha, Ecuador,
October 5, 2010, 2400m, courtesy of Horst Kach.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in January-February-March, and October-November.

Luigi Racheli reports them on the wing in October in Tandapi, south central Pichincha Province.

Larval hosts are unknown.

Automeris pichichensis male, 69mm, Pichincha, Ecuador,
on my home computer only.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use their more highly developed antennae to seek out females who release an airbourne pheromone into the night sky.

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

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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