DISTRIBUTION:

Hirpida marcapata (wingspan: males: 58mm; females: probably larger// forewing length: males: 30mm; females: probably larger) flies in
Peru: Cusco, near Marcapata, at elevations near 1270m.

This species is very similar to Hirpida cuscolinea, but H. marcapata has a much wider suffusion of dark scales on the distal sides of the am and pm lines, greatly reducing the lighter portion of the median area. The forewing cell mark is very small, hardly even recognizable.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens are on the wing in December. There are probably other flight months.

Larvae possibly feed on oak species.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the tip of the abdomen, and the night-flying males pickup and track the airbourne pheromone plume with their well-developed antennae.

Females are likely most active right after dusk. The male, above, was taken early in the evening.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters on hostplant foliage.

Hirpida levopascoensis larvae are highly gregarious and have the urticating spines typical of larvae from the Subfamily Hemileucinae.

The species name, marcapata, is indicative of a specimen type locale near Marcapata, Cusco, Peru.

Larval Food Plants

It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the anticipated ?? foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Quercus.......

Oak

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