Subspecies Automeris cecrops pamina

western New Mexico (west of the Rio Grande) into eastern Arizona and south into northern Sonora.

Occurance in the Jemez Mountains in northern New Mexico is not documented in literature, but the subspecies is common there.

Wooded mountainous country with Oaks.

Adults don't feed. Larvae have been found on Q. undulata (the prefered hose plant in n. New Mexico), Quercus grisea, Q. gambelii, Salix exigua, and, Robinia neomexicana. They have eaten several additional species of Oak in captivity (including both Red ane White group Oaks), and have also eaten Redbud - Cercis canadensis enthusiastically. They will nibble on Ulmus pumila, Salix exigua, Robinia species, and grasses when the Oaks run out, but don't seem fond of them (even though they have been found wild on two of these plants in habitat). They are probably found in habitat on several species of Quercus, and will likely accept many plants as alternate food.

Adults in spring. Eggs are laid in rings on twigs of host plant. Early instar larvae are gregarious and feed in large groups, but they spread out and become solitary in later instars. Larvae are present in summer to early autumn. Overwinter as pupae in cocoons woven among (or incorporating) vegetation, mostly leaf litter on ground, sometimes on plants.