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;
French Guiana: Kaw;
Ecuador: (Napo: Rio Hollin (HM));
Bolivia: Santa Cruz (December), La Paz (750m);
Brazil: Minas Gerais; (Espirito Santo (HM));
Argentina: Misiones, 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.

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 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, Poté, 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.

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