Pseudodirphia regia
Updated as per Heppner's Checklist: Part 4B 1996, December 16, 2005
Updated as per Lemaire's Hemileucinae 2002, October 3, 2006
Updated as per communication from Jean Michel Maes (Nicaragua), March 2007
Updated as per personal communication with Ronald D. Cave (Honduras), July 2007
Updated as per http://www.inbio.ac.cr/bims/k02/p05/c029/o0119/f00885.htm IB, April 2008
Updated as per personal communication with Horst Kach (Lita, Ecuador, March 29, 2009): June 1, 2009

Pseudodirphia regia
soo-doh-DIRF-ee-uhmmREE-jee-uh
(Draudt, 1930) Dirphia

Pseudodirphia regia male courtesy of Dan Janzen.

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: Hemileucinae, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Tribe: Hemileucini, Grote & Robinson, 1866
Genus: Pseudodirphia, Bouvier, 1928

MIDI MUSIC

"What.A.Wonderful.World"
copyright C. Odenkirk
MIDI CITY
ON.OFF
<bgsound src="world.mid" LOOP=FOREVER>

DISTRIBUTION:

Pseudodirphia regia (wingspan: males: 72-93mm; females: 106-131mm) flies in
Costa Rica: Cartago (CL), Alajuela, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose (IB);
Nicaragua: Jinotega, Zelaya, Rio San Juan (probably replaced by P. regia madriziana in Nicaragua);
Honduras: Atlantida (CL), Olancho (RC), probably Yoro;
Panama: Chiriqui;
Colombia: Valle, Choco, and possibly Cauca and Nariono;
and Ecuador: Esmeraldas, Imbabura and Pichincha;
at low to medium altitude (90-1600m) (probably replaced by P. weberorum in western Ecuador);

Pseudodirphia regia male, Lita, Ecuador, March 29, 2009, courtesy of Horst Kach.

Pseudodirphia regia male, Ecuador,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

Pseudodirphia regia male, Ecuador,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This moth probably broods continuously in three to four month cycles. Specimens have been taken in all months. Natural larval hosts are unknown, but Robinia is a likely choice and has been used with success by Kirby Wolfe.

Pseudodirphia regia female courtesy of Dan Janzen.

Pseudodirphia regia female, Ecuador,
courtesy of Eric van Schayck.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Males use highly developed antennae to locate females at night by tracking their airbourne pheromone plume.

At rest, moths fold wings over the body in typical Hemileucinae style.

Pseudodirphia regia male, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are deposited in clusters or rings. Larvae are gregarious and are well equipped with urticating spines. A light, single-walled cocoon is spun among leaf litter.

Pseudodirphia regia second instars on Fagus silvatica, courtesy of Uwe Kauz.

Pseudodirphia regia third instars on Fagus silvatica, courtesy of Uwe Kauz.

Pseudodirphia regia larva, courtesy of Kirby Wolfe.


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.

Fagus silvatica ........
Robinia

Beech
Locust

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.

Return to Pseudodirphia Index

Return to Main Index

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.

Pseudodirphia was chosen as the genus name as these moths are very similar to those in the Dirphia genus.

The species name, regia, means royal.


Support this website and visit other insect sites by
clicking flashing butterfly links to left or right.