DISTRIBUTION:

Copaxa lavendera (approximate wingspan: males: 97mm; females: 110mm // forewing length: males: 48-60mm; females: ) is found in
Mexico: Sinaloa; Oaxaca; Veracruz, Chiapas; probably also in the coastal states of Nyarit; Jalisco; probably C. lavenderojaliscensis; Michoacan; Mexico and Guerrero;
Guatemala: Alta Verapaz; probably C. lavenderoguatemalensis; Suchitepequez, probably Chimaltenango, Baja Verapaz, Zacapa, Quetzaltenango (JMS), Santa Rosa (JM);
Nicaragua: Jinotega;
and Honduras: Cortés, Intibuca, La Paz, Ocotepeque, Yoro (all confirmed by RC).

It occurs at mid to high elevation (1500-2300m).

Copaxa lavendera male, Mexico, Mexico,
March 12, 2012, JCGM, PN

It is likely that all species south of Mexico are C. lavenderoguatemalensis or C. lavenderohondurensis.

Based on DNA barcoding results many new and very similar Copaxa species have been described by Brechlin and Meister 2010-2014. I have looked at the following species from Mexico and Guatemala and Honduras and find them all quite similar. I am not disputing the barcoding results or interpretations, just noting that it will be very difficult to do determinations until more is known. Perhaps it will only be possible to determine the species by DNA barcode analysis:

Copaxa lavendera: Mexico: Oaxaca; Hidalgo; Mexico; Guerrero; 1500-2300m; yellow, orange, red or olive-brown ground colour; males: 48-60mm (42 specimen results);
Copaxa lavenderoguatemalensis: Guatemala: Alta Verpaz; Coban; 2460m; males: 49-58-60mm, females 60mm; orange with strong black markings;
Copaxa lavenderohidalgensis: Mexico: Hidalgo: Carboneras; 2400m; brownish colour (probably variable); forewing length: males: 57mm, females: ??mm; July (single specimen barcoded);
Copaxa lavenderojaliscensis: Mexico: Jalisco: Volcan Colima; 2450m; brownish colour (probably variable); forewing length: males: 52-62mm, females: ??mm; June (single specimen barcoded);
Copaxa parvohidalgensis: Mexico: Hidalgo: Tlanchinol, 1500m and Pachua, 2430m; forewing length: males: 43-46mm, females: 48-57mm; May-June-July (four males, 4 females barcoded);
Copaxa lavenderohondurensis: Honduras: Lempira; Ocotopeque.

I suspect that all specimens from Guatemala and Honduras south to Nicaragua are probably Copax lavenderoguatemalensis or Copaxa lavenderohondurensis, but I am not sure.

Copaxa lavendera male, Mexico City, Mexico,
courtesy of Monica Herzig, via Daniel Marlos, tentative id by Bill Oehlke,
Could also be Copaxa lavenderojaliscensis.

Copaxa lavendera male, probably Copaxa lavenderohondurensis, wingspan: 115mm, Honduras, courtesy of Ronald D. Cave.

The male has a very pronounced yet blunt forewing apex. Females are almost always yellow while males can be quite varied. Both sexes have the large "eyespots", ringed with orangey-brown, yellow and black.

Eric van Schayck reports them from Venezuela, but I feel those specimens are much more likely Copaxa bireni or an undescribed species. I have posted them to the bottom of the bireni page.

Copaxa lavendera female, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, courtesy of Jose Monzon Sierra.

Copaxa lavendera female courtesy of Chris Conlan

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

It usually flies during the rainy season and is multiple brooded in most areas except in the more northern latitudes.

Larva are found on Oak, Lauraceae sp. and various sumacs like Pepper Tree.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males, with their well developped antennae, seek out calling females at night.

Image Copyright protected courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Larvae somewhat resemble polyphemus but have slightly raised blue "dots" and yellow hairs. Chris Conlan image.

Bernhard Wenczel reports both brown and orange males in equal numbers from his rearings.

Copaxa lavendera male, brown form, courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

Copaxa lavendera male, orange form, courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

Copaxa lavendera larva, courtesy of Viktor Suter.

Copaxa lavendera larva, Oaxaca, Mexico,
courtesy of Viktor Suter.

"On the Copaxa lavendera page you show the latest image from a larva Victor reared this year. While the former ones on my cd came from Oaxaca and – according to Brechlin – they represent the real lavendera, this year we got the eggs from Sinaloa which means it’s C.lavenderohidalgensis. I think I’ve sent you another image of a feeding larva on avocado, didn’t I? I tried it because I had my doubts they would accept this plant because whenever I caught the species by myself or got eggs from somebody they came from spots with a lot of oak in the area. And all my rearings I did on oak. So it was more a test to prove it wouldn’t work… But it did! I have to add though, that the L1 larva dies within few hours if they feed old leaves. They need the tiny young ones. Best is you have them on the living plant, so the caterpillars decide by themselves when they want to crawl onto the larger and older leaves. The resulting larvae fed for a longer time but grew very large compared with their sisters and brothers on oak. Okay, that’s it – for today"

Bernhard Wenczel

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.

Cinnamomum camphora.... Malosma laurina Persea americana Quercus ilex Rhus laurina Rhus trilobata Salix babylonica

Camphor Laurel sumac Avocado Holm Oak (Evergreen Oak) Laurel sumac Skunk-brush Weeping willow

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Copaxa lavendera male, Oaxaca, Mexico,
on my home computer only.