Page 423 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Saturniidae
DISTRIBUTION Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia
HABITAT Low to medium altitude tropical forests
HOST PLANTS Unknown; in captivity has fed on Acacia spp. and Laurel Sumac
(Malosma laurina)
NOTE Nervous caterpillar that likes to “gallop”
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated

ADULT WINGSPAN
3–4 in (75–100 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
3⅛ in (80 mm)
PSEUDAUTOMERIS POHLI
PSEUDAUTOMERIS POHLI 421

LEMAIRE, 1967

The Pseudautomeris pohli caterpillar, a member of the
Hemileucinae subfamily of giant silkmoths, is initially white,
acquiring colors and distinctive features as it develops. By the
fourth instar its black dorsal spines at front and rear become

immensely long, tipped with a white fork, and by the fth instar
the larvae are darker and begin to resemble a mature caterpillar.
The caterpillars are processional and feed closely together but
are extremely nervous at all times. Simply tilting the branch that
they are feeding on can cause all caterpillars of the group to fall
to the ground and race in separate directions.

The mature Pseudautomeris pohli caterpillar, which can deliver
a painful sting if touched, is large, colorful, and constantly in
motion. Some individual caterpillars complete only six instars,
while others complete seven before spinning a papery cocoon.
There are 24 species of Pseudautomeris, all in South America,
except for one that reaches north to Costa Rica.

The Pseudautomeris pohli caterpillar is
black with widely spaced white dots and
red spots, and bu oval spiracles. Each
segment is studded with black spines,
longer on the dorsum, which radiate blue
Actual size branches tipped with white. The head is
black and white, the true legs are red, and
the abdominal feet and prolegs are black
with yellow bumps.