Oiticella brevis
(Walker, 1855) Adelocephala

Oiticella brevis moth courtesy of Bernhard Wenczel.

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: Oiticella, Travassos & Noronha, 1965 species: brevis, (Walker, 1855)

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DISTRIBUTION:

The Oiticella brevis moth (wingspan: males: 53-69mm; females: 79mm) flies in Brazil: Pernambuco; Bahia; Federal District; Goias; Minas Gerais; Espirito Santo; Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, and possibly across Bolivia and into Peru, although that is doubtful. Lemaire indicates it is endemic to eastern Brazil.

Moths from the higher elevations are darker and greyer than the brown moths found at lower elevations.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are possibly as many as three broods annually with Oiticella brevis moths on the wing in February, June-July-August, and then again in November-December.

Larvae feed on a spiny mimosa.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Female Oiticella brevis moths extend a scent gland from the posterior tip of the abdomen to call in the night flying males which become active around 11:00 pm.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae. 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.

Mimosa.......

Mimosa

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