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Rothschildia jacobaeae

Rothschildia jacobaeae

Mariposa de las Chilcas

Family: Saturniidae
Order: Lepidoptera
Class: Insecta
Phylum / Division: Arthropoda
Kingdom: Animalia

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Records from Ensenada


Description


This large moth exhibits an impressive wingspan that ranges from 80 to 110 millimeters, featuring a robust body densely covered in reddish-brown and white scales. Its wings display a stunning chromatic pattern dominated by shades of chestnut, ochre, and greyish-brown, which are interrupted by prominent, wavy black and white transverse lines. The most striking diagnostic feature is the presence of four large, triangular hyaline windows—one on each wing—that are completely translucent and bordered by fine black and yellow margins. Pronounced sexual dimorphism is evident in the antennae, which are elaborately bipectinate in males to detect female chemical signals from afar, while females possess narrower, simpler antennae.

Geographical distribution: This lepidopteran is native to the temperate and subtropical regions of South America, with its range spanning across central and northern Argentina, the entirety of Uruguay, southern Brazil, and eastern regions of Paraguay. Its presence is particularly dense along the basins of the Paraná and De la Plata rivers.

Habitat: It primarily colonizes biomes such as the Pampas grasslands, the dry woodlands of the Espinal, the humid savannas of the Chaco region, and riparian gallery forests. Due to its remarkable ecological plasticity and adaptation to introduced ornamental flora, it is frequently found in suburban areas, urban parks, and home gardens within major metropolitan centers.

Feeding: As an adult, this insect is aphagous, meaning it possesses vestigial mouthparts and does not feed, relying entirely on the lipid reserves accumulated during its caterpillar phase. Conversely, the larva is an extremely voracious polyphagous herbivore that consumes the foliage of diverse host plants, exhibiting a clear preference for the wild privet (Ligustrum lucidum), aguaribay (Schinus molle), ash trees (Fraxinus), and native legumes like Acacia caven.

Behavior: This species exhibits strictly nocturnal and crepuscular activity patterns, spending daylight hours motionless and camouflaged among tree bark or dense foliage. Males fly actively throughout the night guided by their highly sensitive olfactory receptors, often displaying strong positive phototaxis towards artificial light sources. The caterpillars are solitary and, upon reaching their final instar, display a complex constructive behavior by spinning a tough, pear-shaped silk cocoon where they undergo pupation.

Reproduction: The life cycle begins when the sedentary virgin female releases potent sexual pheromones during the early hours of the night to attract searching males. Following copulation, the female deposits small clusters of light-colored eggs on the undersides of host plant leaves. Upon hatching, the larvae undergo several molts, shifting in appearance from dark black to a vibrant apple-green color adorned with colorful tubercles. Eventually, the mature caterpillar spins a highly durable, greyish-brown silken cocoon secured tightly to twigs, entering a pupal stage that can undergo winter diapause for several months before the adult emerges in spring.

Conservation status: This species is currently not evaluated on the global IUCN Red List and is generally considered common and stable throughout its native range. Nevertheless, local urban populations are increasingly threatened by chemical pesticide application in gardens, habitat fragmentation, and heavy light pollution, which severely disrupts their nocturnal flight, mating success, and survival rates.



Compilation and publication: EcoRegistros – 04/08/2026




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Foto
Photography ID: 435521
  Adult

Ensenada
Buenos Aires
Argentina
03/01/2021
Diego Varales



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Page 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
137418001/03/2021ArgentinaBuenos AiresEnsenadaDiego Varales
Page 1

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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Rothschildia jacobaeae – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 14/09/2026.