Page 578 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Erebidae
DISTRIBUTION Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and likely also Colombia
HABITAT Cloud forests and forest borders
HOST PLANTS Many, including Saurauia bullosa Wawra, Anthurium spp., Baccaris
spp., Brunnelia spp., Erythrina edulis, and Tibouchina lepidota
NOTE Common caterpillar that has distinctive, long tufts of orange setae
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but not considered threatened

ADULT WINGSPAN
2¾–3⅛ in (70–80 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
2 ⁄ –3 in (65–75 mm)
PRAEAMASTUS ALBIPUNCTA
PRAEAMASTUS ALBIPUNCTA
576
(HAMPSON, 1901)

The Praeamastus albipuncta caterpillar, always a great find
for a novice caterpillar hunter, is remarkable in appearance for
its subtle but attractive coloration and contrasting distinctive
orange tufts of setae. In addition, unlike many other erebid
caterpillars, the larvae of this species only occasionally attempt
to escape by dropping from the host plant and are, instead, easily
herded into a collecting bag. Or, gripping tightly to their host
plant leaf, they may be plucked and collected along with the leaf.

The caterpillar is highly polyphagus and is the known host
for a variety of species of parasitoid flies (Tachinidae) and
The Praeamastus albipuncta caterpillar has
a dull brown head with a very ne, reticulated wasps (Braconidae). In some cases, up to 17 braconids may
pattern. The body ground color is pale olive

green, with several large, pale yellow patches on develop internally, emerging in the nal instar to pupate away
the thorax and ventrolaterally. The rst to seventh from the caterpillar. Adult moths are frequent arrivals around
abdominal segments have several dense tufts of
dull orange setae, laterally and dorsally. The lights during the night, but little is known of their behavior
tenth abdominal segment bears the longest
tuft, projecting rearward and tipped with black. or natural history.

Actual size