DISTRIBUTION:

The Copaxa canella moth (wingspan: males: 85-105mm; females: 105-120mm) flies in
southeastern Brazil: Bahia, Federal District, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, southern Minas Gerais (LV): Itamonte (CM), Santa Catarina, Rio Grande du Sol.

Ulf Drechsel reports it from Paraguay: Canindeyu and Alto Parana.

Possibly it also flies in Argentina: Misiones, based on the following images.

Copaxa canella male, Misiones, Argentina,
October, 2010, courtesy of Luis Cesar Tejo, tentative id by Bill Oehlke

Copaxa canella male, Campo Ramon, Misiones, Argentina,
July 26, 2010, courtesy of Luis Cesar Tejo, tentative id by Bill Oehlke

Copaxa canella male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
January 9, 2013, courtesy of Larry Valentine.

Copaxa canella males are consistently fawn coloured (old literature). The females also carry this trait (but not as bright) as compared to greyer-browner females of the smaller, related flavobrunnea and joinvillea.

However, based on recent specimen images from Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, they might be more variable than previously thought.

Copaxa canella male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
January 25, 2011, 925m, courtesy of Larry Valentine, tentative id by Kirby Wolfe.

Copaxa canella male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, (same moth as above),
January 25, 2011, 925m, courtesy of Larry Valentine, tentative id by Kirby Wolfe.

There is possibility the moth from Itanhandu is an undescribed species or one of the recently (2010) species described by Brechlin and Meister. I note the irregular median line seems to intersect at the middle of the forewing eyspot instead of paralleling the postmedian line. Otherwise, despite the colour variation, it is a good match for canella (antennae, consistent eyespot size, wing shape).

Copaxa canella male (verso), Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
January 25, 2011, 925m, courtesy of Larry Valentine, tentative id by Kirby Wolfe.

Copaxa canella male (verso), Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil, (same moth as above),
January 25, 2011, 925m, courtesy of Larry Valentine, tentative id by Kirby Wolfe.

Kirby Wolfe notes that males of new world Saturniidae are usually diurnal if the male antennae rami are dark as in flavobrunnea, but nocturnal if the rami are light as in canella and joinvillea.

In the specimens I have seen of joinvillea, the forewing hyaline circles (eyespots) are noticeably larger than the same feature on the hindwings.

Copaxa canella, Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.

Copaxa canella female, Seitz.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Copaxa canella larvae feed upon laurel (Phoebe porphyria).

Most of the Copaxa brood continuously so I suspect canella would be on the wing every month of the year. However, this may be a bivoltne species.

Copaxa canella male, Rio Grande do Sul, on my home computer only.

Copaxa canella female, Rio Grande do Sul, on my home computer only.

Copaxa canella female, Ype Hotel, Itatiaia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
November 1, 2004, 1250m, courtesy of Pia Oberg,
id and slight digital repair by Bill Oehlke.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Male Copaxa canella moths use highly developed antennae to locate females shortly after dark by tracking the airbourne pheromone plume. The female releases this scent into the night air via an organ extended from the tip of the abdomen.

Copaxa canella male, Itanhandu, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
January 25, 2011, 925m, courtesy of Larry Valentine, tentative id by Kirby Wolfe.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

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.

Laurus nobilis Nectandra reticulata....... Nectandra venulosa Phoebe porphyria.....

Bay Laurel Nectandra reticulata Nectandra venulosa Laurel

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Copaxa canella male, Seitz.