DISTRIBUTION:

Copaxa flavina miranda (wingspan: males: approximately 107-115mm; females: probably larger) flies in tropical humid and dry andean forests at elevations from 250 - 1600 m in
Bolivia: Cochabamba, probably La Paz, Oruro, Potosi; and generally from the
central and southwestern Andes of(Peru: Junin, Pasco, Cusco (TS), and possibly Puno; to
Argentina: Tucuman, Jujuy (NV) and probably Salta, sometimes at higher elevation (up to at least 2200m (TS)).

Copaxa flavina miranda male, Calilegua, Jujuy, Argentina,
February 17, 2010, 1100m, courtesy of Nigel Venters.

This subspecies is larger than nominate flavina and has an orange or coppery-orange ground colour in the males.

Copaxa flavina miranda male copyright Kirby Wolfe

Copaxa flavina miranda male, wingspan 116mm, Cochabamba, Bolivia,
courtesy/copyright Kelly Price.

Copaxa flavina miranda male, Peru, courtesy of Hubert Mayer copyright.

Copaxa flavina miranda male, 104mm, fwl: 62mm, Pachita Research Station, Junin, Peru,
April 2011, 2200m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard, id by Bill Oehlke.

Copaxa flavina miranda male, 107mm, fwl: 62mm, Paradise Lodge, Cusco, Peru,
November 7, 2007, 1400m, courtesy of Terry Stoddard, id by Bill Oehlke.

Some of the early describers/namers chose genus and species names indicating some character of the insect, but more often, they simply chose names from Greek or Roman mythology or history.

Those species names which end in "ensis" indicate a specimen locale, and those which end in "i", pronounced "eye", honour a contempory friend/collector/etc.

The genus name "Copaxa" is from an unknown source.

The species name "flavina" probably comes from the Latin word "flavin", meaning yellow.

The subspecies name "miranda" could be from any number of literary figures.

Copaxa flavina miranda male, Tafe de Valle, Tucuman, Argentina,
107mm, November 26, 2008, 2000m, courtesy of Nigel Venters.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Kirby Wolfe has reared this species on Persea americana, Avocado, which may or may not be a natural host.

Most of the Copaxa brood continuously so I suspect flavina miranda would be on the wing every month of the year. Terry Stoddard confims April and November flights in Peru.

Copaxa flavina miranda female copyright Kirby Wolfe

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Male Copaxa flavina miranda 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.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Copaxa flavina miranda larva copyright Kirby Wolfe

Copaxa flavina miranda larva copyright Viktor Suter/Bernhard Wendzel

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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