DISTRIBUTION:

Schausiella denhezorum (wingspan: males: 81-94mm; females: 115-126mm) flies in
western Colombia: Valle and Choco;
Costa Rica: Cartago and San Jose (CL), Alajuela, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon (IB);
Panama: Bocas del Toro.

Ground colour is quite orange and postmedian line is strongly preapical. The male forewing is very triangular.

Schausiella santarosensis male, 17km west of La Ceiba, Atlantida, Honduras,
95mm, February 19, 2001, 100m, courtesy of Robert Lehman, tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

The specimen from Honduras is significantly larger than any S. santarosensis specimens reported by Lemaire and Janzen (CR), and its presence in Honduras represents a significant northerly extension of its known range. I also notice a slight difference in shape of hindwing (more rounded at apex) as compared to specimens illistrated for Costa Rica by Dan Janzen, and the forewing post median line is less preapical than for most S. santarosensis specimens. It is a "best match" for S. santarosensis, but it might be an undescribed species.

Visit Schausiella santarosensis, denhezorum, ?? ??, males (recto and verso), La Ceiba, Atlantida, Honduras, February 2010, courtesy of Robert Lehman.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Schausiella denhezorum moths are on the wing January, August and October suggesting two or three broods (possibly more) annually.

Larvae probably feed on Hymenaea altissima.

Schausiella denhezorum female, Claude Lemaire.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Female Schausiella denhezorum moths attract the more colourful males at night with an airborrne pheromone. This scent is distributed into the wind from a structure extended from the tip of the abdomen.

Males fly into the wind in a zigzag fashion and use their antennae, bipectinate for the basal two-thirds, to locate the "calling" females.

This male antennae structure is definitive for the Ceratocampinae.

Females begin their ovipositing flights at dusk after mating the previous night.

Schausiella denhezorum female courtesy of Dan Janzen.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Typical of most Ceratocampinae, the eggs are slightly flattened, yellow and translucent.

After just a few days, the developing embryos can be seen through the egg shells. Incubation time of eight days is typcial.

Larvae emerge with well developed thoracic spikes and thrash about when disturbed. Packaging within the egg shell must be quite efficient to allow for such magnificent development.

The spines practically disappear in the final instar and larvae become very chunky. Larvae descend tree trunks and excavate subterranean chambers in which to pupate.

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.

Hymenaea altissima.........

Locust

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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.

The genus name "Schausiella" is probably ?? honourific for Schaus.

The species name "denhezorum" is probably ?? honouorific for members of the Denhez family.