Copaxa denda
Updated as per Lemaire's Attacidae 1978, March 15, 2007
Updated as per personal communication with Kelly Price (Hidalgo, 90mm), November 2008
Updated as per personal communication with Eric van Schayck (Honduras); March 7, 2012

Copaxa denda
koh-PAX-uhMDEN-duh
Druce, 1894


Copaxa denda male courtesy of Leroy Simon.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY:

Superfamily: Bombycoidea, Latreille, 1802
Family: Saturniidae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Subfamily: Saturniinae, Boisduval, [1837] 1834
Tribe: Saturniini, Boisduval, 1837
Genus: Copaxa, Walker, 1855

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DISTRIBUTION:

Copaxa denda (wingspan: males: approx 90m; females: ??) flies in Mexico: Puebla, Veracruz, Chiapas, Hidalgo (KP); and
Honduras (EvS); and
probably in Guatemala.

Males are briliant yellow dusted with orange, and the forewing apex is not overly pronounced. The hindwing has a generous suffusion of lilac grey in the subterminal/terminal areas.

Copaxa denda male, 1450m, 90mm, Hidalgo, Mexico, courtesy of Kelly Price.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Copaxa denda larvae feed upon avocado (Persea americana).

Most of the Copaxa brood continuously so I suspect denda would be on the wing every month of the year.

Copaxa denda male, Honduras, courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Male Copaxa denda 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 denda female (copyright protected) courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Photo courtesy of Leroy Simon.

Larvae spin silken cocoons and remind me very much of Antheraea larvae while in the final instar.

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.

Persea americana.....

Avocado

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