The Saturniidae (separated from the silkmoths Bombycidae) is a family of large and often spectacular insects. It includes the atlas moths Rothschildia, which are the largest in the country. The family contains about 1500 species, of which over 300 have been recorded in Ecuador. A large number of species have eyespots on the hindwings which are flashed when the insects are agitated. They are covered by volume 16a of Mariposas del Ecuador. Despite their striking appearance, there are many similar and hard-to-separate species, and several species are named only as 'sp1', 'sp2', etc.

The gallery below shows most of the species that have been recorded at the Lodge. Click on each photo to see an enlarged picture, the species name, and more information.

Back to main families index.