DISTRIBUTION:

Meroleucoides edithae (wingspan: males: 47mm; females: 54mm // forewing length: males: 22-24mm; females: 29-30mm) flies in
Ecuador: Azuay at elevations around 3085m.

Visit Ecuadorian Meroleucoides Comparison Table.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Specimens have been taken in March. There are probably additional flight months. Larval hosts are unknown.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

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

Meroleucoides edithae AT female, Las Paz, Azuay, Ecuador,
54mm, March 6, 2011, 3085m, on my home computer only.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters on hostplant foliage.

Meroleucoides edithae larvae are probably highly gregarious and probably have the urticating spines typical of larvae from the Subfamily Hemileucinae.

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.

This species name, edithae, is honourific for Edith Kaech, sister of Horst Kaech.

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