Eacles canaima
|
Updated as per
Heppner's Atlas of Neotropical Lepidoptera Checklist: Part 4B, 1996, November 27, 2005
Lemaire's Ceratocampinae, November 28, 2005 |
Eacles canaima
EE-uh-kleesmmkuh-NAY-ih-muh
Feige, 1971
Eacles canaima male, Venezuela, courtesy of
Otso Reunanen.
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: Ceratocampinae, Harris, 1841
Genus: Eacles, Hübner, [1819]
Species: canaima, Feige, 1971 |
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DISTRIBUTION:
The Eacles canaima moth
(wingspan: males: 100-103mm; females: 125-132mm) flies in
southeastern Venezuela: Bolivar.
This is an unusual Eacles in that the wings are completely
yellow or orange without any sprinkling of dark scales.
FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:
In Venezuela,
Eacles canaima moths are on the wing in March-April and December.
Natural hosts are Dogwoods (Cornaceae).
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 canaima females, Claude Lemaire.
Eacles canaima male, Claude Lemaire.
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.
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.
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