Page 576 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Erebidae
DISTRIBUTION Colombia and Ecuador
HABITAT Lower temperate and upper subtropical forest borders
HOST PLANTS Mikania micrantha
NOTE Caterpillar of a rare and poorly studied species
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but not considered threatened

ADULT WINGSPAN
1 ⁄ –1½ in (30–38 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
2–2⅛ in (50–55 mm)
PHAIO CEPHALENA
PHAIO CEPHALENA
574
(DRUCE, 1883)

The distinctive Phaio cephalena caterpillar is very rarely
encountered, although the adults can be fairly common,
at least in northeastern Ecuador. Indeed, to date, the caterpillars
of P. cephalena have only been found and reared twice, and in
both instances they were discovered as solitary individuals,
suggesting that the adult female lays her eggs one at a time. The
reasons for the scarcity of larval records are unknown, but,
as some species of their host plant genus commonly grow as
high-climbing vines, the larvae may, in fact, be much more
common in the poorly explored canopy habitats within their
The Phaio cephalena caterpillar is fairly stout geographic range.
but tapers sharply at the thorax. Its head is
uniformly yellow, matching the general ground
color of the body, which is sparsely spotted or The moth adults are remarkably good mimics of wasps, likely
washed with shades of brown and black. The
thoracic segments are nearly bare, while the relying on most vertebrates’ aversion to handling wasps as a
middle abdominal segments have sparse, short, form of protection. Despite being frequently seen in the day,
soft, pale setae. The most notable setae are

packed into long tufts, pairs of which occur on the moths appear also to y at night and are frequent arrivals to
both the rst and seventh abdominal segments.
porch lights and blacklight traps. The genus Phaio, commonly
misspelt as Phaeo, includes 13 species, found in Central America,
Cuba, and South America.

Actual size