DISTRIBUTION:

The Eacles barnesi moth (wingspan: males: 88-121mm; females: 149mm) flies in
Guyana: Omai;
Venezuela: Bolivar;
Surinam;
French Guiana: Rochambeau, Sinnamary, Saint-Jean-du-Maroni, Oyapock, Camopi, Saul, Kaw;
Brazil: Para, Amazonas, Mato Grosso and Minas Gerais;
Colombia: Santander and Boyaca;
eastern Ecuador: Sucumbios (CL), Orellana LTR, and possibly Napo (WO?);
Peru: Amazonas (LTR), Huanuco, Loretto, Junin (VI), Madre de Dios, Ucayali (VI), and probably San Martin; and
Bolivia: Santa Cruz at elevations of 200-1100m.

Both sexes have a coppery ground color (quickly fades to more yellowish) and male forewings are less elongate and less falcate than in similar species. The apical pm line is scalloped for the first two or three sections and then continues straight to the inner margin. The purplish subterminal/margnal area is greatly suffused (sometimes almost completely covered) with silvery grey scaling. The purple forewing cell marking and the smaller inner mark both have white centers.

The purple hindwing cell marking also has a white center. The purple median band has a suffusion of lighter scales where it expands slightly near the inner margin.

My initials (WO?), after a locale, indicate an interpolation and not an actual sighting/collecting record.

Eacles barnesi male, Rio Tambo, Junin, Peru,
November 4, 2008, 550m, courtesy of Vladimir Izersky.

Eacles barnesi male, Atalaya, Ucayali, Peru,
November 1, 2008, 350m, courtesy of Vladimir Izersky.

Eacles barnesi male, Atalaya, Ucayali, Peru,
November 1, 2008, 350m, courtesy of Vladimir Izersky.

Eacles barnesi male, Christalino Lodge, Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso, Brazil,
September 23, 2014, courtesy of Brian Fletcher, id by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

In Guyana, Eacles barnesi moths are on the wing in January and October-November.

FGS reports a flight in French Guiana in February and November.

Natural hosts are unknown.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females have ciliate antennae and extend a scent gland, emitting pheromone, from the tip of the abdomen at night. Males fly in a zigzag pattern into the wind and use their more highly developed antennae (quadripectinate for basal two-thirds) to track the pheromone.

The pair remains coupled until the following evening. Upon separation, the females begin their ovipositing flights.

Eacles barnesi courtesy of Entomo Service

Eacles barnesi femelle, French Guiana, courtesy of Carlot Didier.

Eacles barnesi male, French Guiana, courtesy of Carlot Didier.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE: Yellow, translucent eggs are deposited singly or in small clusters of up to six. The larvae become visible through the egg shells a day or so before emerging. Larvae are solitary in their feeding habits and have extensive thoracic scoli, especially pronounced in early instars. At maturity, larvae descend trees to pupate in underground chambers. Pupae should be stored under cool , but above freezing temperatures, and sprinkling with water a few times a week in spring encourages subsequent eclosions. Eacles barnesi larva on Schinus terebinthifolius, copyright protected, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

Larval Food Plants

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.

Schinus terebinthifolius .......

Brazilian Pepper tree (Kirby Wolfe)

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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.

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.

I do not know the source of the genus name "Eacles", but it may be a combination of "Ea", the Greek word for gods and goddesses and the Greek suffix "cles", meaning 'glory of'.

The species name "barnesi" is honourific for Barnes.