DISTRIBUTION:

Automeris zurobara gadouae (wingspan: males: 59-74mm; females: 84-88mm) flies in tropical rain forest and savannas at elevations of 170 - 400 m in
Venezuela: Bolivar; and
possibly eastern Colombia ??.

This species is smaller and lighter in colour (pinkish or orange-beige instead of gray) than the nominate subspecies. It also lacks yellow along the inner margin of the hw postmedial band.

It is named for collector Mrs. M.L Gadou.

Automeris zurobara gadouae (male), Venezuela, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing May-November.

Bernhard Wenczel reports he has reared them succesfully on beech, oak, willow, Cornus mas and Cornus sanguinea.

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 zurobara gadouae (female), Venezuela, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

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. Image courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae. 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.

Cornus mas Cornus sanguinea....... Fagus Quercus Salix

Cornelian cherry dogwood Bloodtwig dogwood Beech Oak Willow

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