DISTRIBUTION: The Hemileuca rubridorsa moth (wingspan: males: 42-45mm; females: 53-60mm) flies in Distrito Federal, Mexico, Hidalgo, Morelos, Oaxaca and Puebla in central Mexico. Hemileuca rubridorsa male (Mexico) courtesy of Dr. Manuel A. Balcazar Lara.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Moths are on the wing from February to July with an additional sighting in September, suggesting at least two broods annually.

Kirby Wolfe writes, "Hemileuca rubridorsa larvae were found in the wild on a species of Acacia and finished up on Acacia baileyana."

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Eclosions probably take place in the morning with females probably calling from 9:00 am until 10:00 am.

Hemileuca rubridorsa, female and larva, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are laid in rings of 25-35 eggs/ring.

Pupation is in a shallow underground chamber or under loose debris.

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae and/or personal communication (Kirby Wolfe). 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.

Acacia Acacia baileyana.......

Acacia Cootamundra Wattle

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Hemileuca rubridorsa female, Federal District, Mexico,
May 1964, Claude Lemaire, on my home computer only.