DISTRIBUTION:

Pseudaphelia ansorgei (wingspan: males: 52mm; females: ) flies in Kenya, according to Thierry Bouyer. BOLD Systems indicates it also flies in Tanzania.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Pseudaphelia ansorgei adults probably fly in May.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Calling females successfully attract males during the day, mainly in the late afternoon. Both sexes come in to lights at night.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Larvae descend the host plant at pupation time and pupate under loose leaves at the surface. Pupae are very sticky and have a long caudal spine. Where there is more than one generation, the pupal stage is very short.

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.

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The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

I do not know the source of Pseudaphelia, but Pinhey indicates it means "false simplicity (Greek) possibly for its camouflage". Aphelia is the point on the orbit of a celestial body that is farthest from the sun. In these moths the yellow eyespot or "sun" is at the outer edge of the cell.

The species name ansorgei is honourific for Dr. I. W. Ansorge who travelled extensively in West tropical Africa in the late 1890's - early 1900's. (Pinhey)