DISTRIBUTION:

Hyperchiria volcana (wingspan: males: 57-64mm; females: 83mm / forewing length: males: 26-30mm; females: 39-40mm) flies in
western Ecuador: Pichincha: near Los Bancos; Manabi: near San Placido; at elevations from 100-1000m.

This moth is very similar to H. nausica, and belongs to the nausica subgroup.

Males show two colour forms, a dark grey-brown and a brighter red-brown.

Hyperchira volcana red-brown male, 60mm, Manabi, Ecuador,
on my home computer only.

Please note: The advent of DNA barcoding has resulted in many new descriptions (approximately 200 "new" Saturniidae species, 2010). In many cases the "new" species are quite similar to existing species. Do not be surprised if more refined testing or revisions of "thresholds of difference" result in some synonymies or even more species/subspecies designations. Subsequent rearing may or may not indicate differences in larval appearance. It will be interesting to see how this all pans out.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been reported taken in January, February, March, April and December. There are probably additional flight months.

Hyperchiria volcana larvae possibly eat Berberis lauina, Cassia corymbosa, Celtis spinosa, Fagus, Ficus benjamina, Laburnum, Platanus orientalis, Quercus, Quercus ilex and Serjania.

Hyperchira volcana female, 83mm, Pichincha, Ecuador,
on my home computer only.

Visit the Hyperchiria nausica Group to see a comparison plate covering the eleven species listed by Brechlin and Meister, 2013, as belonging to the Hyperchiria nausica Group, which has species where the iris of the hindwing ocellus is orange.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use well-developed antennae to seek out females which scent at night.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Typical of species in the Genus Hyperchiria and the Subfamily Hemileucinae, the larvae are armed with urticating spines.

Larval Food Plants

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

Berberis lauina Cassia corymbosa ....... Celtis spinosa Fagus Ficus benjamina Laburnum Platanus orientalis Quercus Quercus ilex Serjania

Barberry Autumn senna Hackberry Beech Benjamin tree Bean tree Oriental sycamore Oak Holly/Holm oak Serjania

The species name, volcana, is indicative of the darker grey ground colour, suggesting volcanic ash, of this moth.

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