DISTRIBUTION:

Pseudautomeris lata (wingspan: males: 79-90mm; females: 90-129mm) flies in
French Guiana: Cayenne, Regina, Coralie, Roura, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Sinnamary, Barrage Petit Saut, Belizon;
French Guiana: Nouragues: Heliport - Drop Zone, 4.088, -52.681, collected by MAS. Smith & R. Rougerie, 2011-02-09,
Guyana: ;
Venezuela: Bolivar;
Ecuador: Sucumbios, Orellana, Napo and Morona Santiago and probably Pastaza;
Peru: Huanuco, Cusco, Junin (PB-J), Madre de Dios and Puno;
Bolivia: La Paz and Cochabamba; and
Brazil: Para;
Brazil: Para: Macaranduba: Macaranduba-BMB206, -4.799, -49.363, collected by T. Decaens, 2008-04-01.

I suspect it also flies in eastern Colombia and in Suriname.

Pseudautomeris lata male, Napo, Ecuador,
December 29, 2008, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Pseudautomeris lata male, Rio Tiputini, Yasuni, Orellana, Ecuador,
September 2000, courtesy of Terry Stoddard.

The abdomen is grey and the forewings are very elliptic in both sexes.

Pseudautomeris lata, French Guiana, courtesy of Carlot Didier.

Note the sinuate postmedial line.

Pseudautomeris lata, male, copyright Kirby Wolfe

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

There are probably two generations each year from December-February, April-June, and September (TS). Peter Bruce-Jones reports a June flight in Shima, Junin, Peru.

Larvae feed on Ligustrum ovalifolium and Robinia pseudoacacia and Salix baylonica.

Pseudautomeris lata female, Shima, Junin, Peru,
700m, June 14, 2010, courtesy of Peter Bruce-Jones.

Pseudautomeris lata female, Tena, Napo, Ecuador,
October 24, 2014, courtesy of Martin Schwartz.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend scent gland from the tip of the abdomen and release an airbourne pheromone into the night sky to call in the night-flying males. Most male flight activity occurs in the two hours just before midnight.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE: Eggs are laid in clusters or rings. Pseudautomeris lata larvae are similar to Automeris larvae, being gregarious and having urticating spines. Larvae image by Leroy Simon. Mature larvae spin thin, single-walled cocoons. Thoracic and posterior spines remain extensive into final instar.

Pseudautomeris lata larva feeding on shed skin, copyright protected, Leroy Simon.

Pseudautomeris lata larva, copyright protected, Kirby Wolfe.

Pseudautomeris lata, third instars, Napo, Ecuador,
October 7, 2008, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Pseudautomeris lata, third instars, Napo, Ecuador,
October 7, 2008, courtesy of Horst Kach.

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.

Ligustrum ovalifolium...... Robinia pseudoacacia Salix baylonica

California privet Black locust/ False acacia/Yellow/White/Green/Post locust Willow

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