DISTRIBUTION:

Citheronia vogleri (wingspan: males: 103-118mm; females: 103-116 // forewing length: males: ) flies at elevations up to 2600m in semi-arid regions in
Argentina: Cordoba and Entre Rios;
Uruguay;
Bolivia: Cochabamba and Chuquisaca;
Paraguay: Presidente Hayes; and
Brazil: Mato Grosso; Rio Grande do Sul.

The black or extremely dark brown ground colours characterizes this species.

Citheronia vogleri male, Presidente Hayes, Paraguay, courtesy of Ulf Drechsel.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing in December-January, probably as a single flight.

Specimens have been taken in February, October and December in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, suggesting at least two broods in that state. Larvae of Citheronia vogleri eat Eucalyptus, Lithrea, Loranthus, Phrygilanthus and Schinus.

Host families: Anacardiaceae, Loranthaceae, Myrtaceae.

Citheronia vogleri female, Cruce Los Pioneros, Presidente Hayes, Paraguay,
January 2000, courtesy of Sergio Rios.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use well-developed antennae to seek out females which scent at night. The underside of this species is almost as spectacular as the upper side.

Citheronia vogleri female, copyright protected, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Larvae leave foliage at pupation time to tunnel under the earth and pupate in a subterranean chamber. Leroy Simon photo.

Even in the fifth and final instar, the larvae of this species are not quite as spectacular as the other Citheronia larvae. Thoracic spines, however, are quite elongated. Photo courtesy of Chris Conlan.

Citheronia vogleri, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe

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.

Eucalyptus Lithrea brasiliensis Lithrea molleoides Loranthus acutifolius Loranthus eugenioides Phrygilanthus cuneifolius Phrygilanthus eugenioides..... Schinus dependens

Eucalyptus Lithrea Lithrea Loranthus Loranthus Phrygilanthus Phrygilanthus Peppertree

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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

The source of the genus name "Citheronia" is probably Mount Citheron (Greek mythology), an untamed wilderness, exempt from the laws of civilization. The goddesses go naked there and are free from any of the pressures of society.

The species name "vogleri" is honourific for Vogler.