DISTRIBUTION:

Adhemarius palmeri (wingspan: 99-124 mm; males smaller than females) flies from
Costa Rica; to
French Guiana: Kaw; and probably into most of South America, including Argentina.

Adhemarius palmeri, Argentina, courtesy of Fernando Penco,
from the collection of Leo Aguado.

There are reports from
Colombia;
Venezuela: Aragua, Bolivar, Carabobo, Miranda, Monagas, Tachira, Zulia;
Trinidad (MJWC;
French Guiana: Kaw;
Ecuador: (Napo: Rio Hollin (HM));
Bolivia: Santa Cruz (December), La Paz (750m);
Brazil: Minas Gerais (FG); Espirito Santo (HM); Sao Paulo (RL); Santa Catarina: Massaranduba (JAR) and Guabiruba (JC);
Argentina: Misiones, Chaco (EB) and
possibly Paraguay: Paraguay: (Itapua (WO?)). I expect it also flies in Peru, but I have no confirmation of that.

It has also been reported in Central America:
southern Nicaragua: Rio San Juan;
Costa Rica: Lemon, Heredia; and
probably also flies in Panama.

Adhemarius palmeri form flavellus (Gehlen, 1926)
French Guiana, courtesy of Jonathan Agius

Originally thought to be an aberration by Gehlen, the form flavellus originates from same parentage as those A. palmeri with red hindwings.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Adhemarius palmeri probably broods continuously, with records indicating the moth is on the wing from March - July and again in October.

In Bolivia there is a record for December. Hubert Mayer reports a December flight in Ecuador. In Minas Gerais, Brasil, there is a record for November. Joao Amarildo Ranguetti reports a January flight in Masaranduba, Santa Catarina, Brazil; Janeth Coutinho reports a December flight in Guabiruba, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Regina lepage confrims and early April flight in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Adhemarius palmeri male, Rio Hollin, Napo, Ecuador,
December 17, 1998, courtesy/copyright of Hubert Mayer.

Adhemarius palmeri female, Espirito Santo, Santa Leopoldino, Alto Tirol, Brazil,
February 10, 1998, courtesy/copyright of Hubert Mayer.

Adhemarius palmeri, Massaranduba, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
January 12, 2015, courtesy of Joao Amarildo Ranguetti.

Adhemarius palmeri, Guabiruba, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
December 14, 2016, courtesy of Janeth Coutinho.

Adhemarius palmeri, Sertao do Uno San Sebastio, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
April 4, 2017, courtesy of Regina Lepage.

Adhemarius palmeri larvae probably feed upon Ocotea veraguensis, Ocotea atirrensis and Ocotea dendrodaphne.

Adhemarius palmeri male underside, Costa Rica, courtesy of Dan Janzen.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Adhemarius palmeri, Brasil, Pot�, Minas Gerais, November 11, 2004,
courtesy of Frederik Goussey.

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants. 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.

Return to Smerinthini Tribe

Return to Main Sphingidae Index

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.

This page is brought to you by Bill Oehlke and the WLSS. Pages are on space rented from Bizland. If you would like to become a "Patron of the Sphingidae Site", contact Bill.

Please send sightings/images to Bill. I will do my best to respond to requests for identification help.

Enjoy one of nature's wonderments: Live Saturniidae (Giant Silkmoth) cocoons.

Show appreciation for this site by clicking on flashing butterfly to the left. The link will take you to a page with links to many insect sites.