Page 391 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Saturniidae
TRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION Eastern central Peru
DIS
HABITAT
HABIT A T Mid-elevation cloud forests
HABITAT
HOS
HOST PLANTS
HOST PLANTS S Unknown, probably Lauraceae
T PLANT
NOTE
NOTE Giant silkmoth species with ancient South American origins
NO
TE
A
TUS
TION S
T
A
CONSERVATION STATUS
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated
CONSERV
ADULT WINGSPAN
3½–4⅛ in (90–105 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
3⅛ in (80 mm)
COPAXA BELLA
COPAXA BELLA 389
WOLFE, NAUMANN, BROSCH, WENCZEL & NAESSIG, 2005
The Copaxa bella silkmoth caterpillar is stout and slow moving.
After hatching among several rounded, at, translucent brown

eggs with white rims, the caterpillars begin feeding together,
but they disperse as they develop. As with most silkmoth
caterpillars, each time they molt between instars they fasten
their feet to a branch with silk so the old skins will remain as
the new caterpillars crawl out. The cocoon of this caterpillar

is a sti , lacquered, silk shnet with the subsequent pupa easily
visible inside.

There are possibly more than 70 species of Copaxa, all in
Central and South America; the C. bella species was discovered The Copaxa bella caterpillar is bright green,
only early this century. Their ancestry is a mystery, but they lighter dorsally. A diagonal, yellow brushstroke
intersects each yellow, oval spiracle, and notable
apparently originated on the South American continent, the only sti , pink paddles all point forward from broad
genus of their subfamily, the Saturniinae, to do so. Many Copaxa dorsal tubercles. The entire body is sprinkled
with tiny, stumpy, white bristles. The feet are
caterpillars are hairy, but none are stinging, and although they dark brown, and the head is greenish brown.
Few long hairs are present.
may occasionally feed on Avocado trees (Persea americana), the
larvae are not considered pests.

Actual size