Giant Silk moths
Polyphemus moth
Antherea polyphemus
The Polyphemus moth lives throughout North America in woodlands and suburbs. They don't feed as adults and only live around three to seven weeks. Caterpillars feed on birch, beech, cherries, oak, maple, and willow. They can grow up to three inches and have six slanted yellow stripes. In late summer they spin a cocoon and overwinter. Cocoons are an oval shape and spun at the end of branches, or in leaf matter. In May adults will hatch and begin the generation for that year.
|
|
Cecropia moth
Hyalophora cecropia
Cecropia moths are the largest Giant Silk moth in the US. They have a wingspan of up to seven inches! They don't feed as adults, but caterpillars feed on maple, cherries, birch, and lilacs. They are green to teal with small red, yellow, and blue knobs. They can grow up to six inches when healthy. In late summer caterpillars make a hammock shaped cocoon on the underside of a branch and over winter. Adults hatch in May.
|
|
Luna Moth
Actias luna
The Luna moth has a wingspan of up to five inches and are a beautiful pale to bright green. Caterpillars are similar to Polyphemus except they are smaller and most of the time have red dots. They feed on birch, willow, Sweetgum, maple, and hickory. They make a cocoon in leaves which usually fall to the ground, which makes them harder to find. The adults hatch in May.
|
|
Io moth
Automeris io
The Io moth is a smaller, but pretty amazing moth. It has a wingspan to three inches and has huge black eye spots. Caterpillars have a red and white horizontal stripe on both sides. They are also covered in many spines which are VENOMOUS DO NOT TOUCH! Caterpillars will eat almost any kind of grass or leaf. They also make their cocoons in leaf matter. Adults hatch in May. Males area bright yellow while females are brown.
|
|
Promethea moth
Callosamia promethea
The Promethea moth is a smaller silk moth with a wingspan of up to four inches. Caterpillars are blueish green with four red and one yellow knob. They also have many black dots in rows of eight. They feed on maple, cherry, lilac, spicebush, and oak. They make a cocoon at the end of a branch that looks like an ornament! Adults hatch in May.
|
|
Royal silk moths
Imperial moth
Eacles imperialis
The Imperial moth is an amazing moth with yellow and brown wings. Many times people have mistaken this gorgeous moth for a dead leaf. Caterpillars are large and can grow up to seven inches. They are green, red, brown, or orange with eight white spots on each side, and have many little white hairs. They feed on maple, oak, and sometimes pine. They pupate under ground and emerge in the spring.
|
|
Regal moth
Citheronia regalis
The Regal moth is a stunning moth. It has a wingspan to seven inches and is very uncommon. The caterpillar is famous for its name, the Hickory horned devil. Though they may look quite frightening, they are completely harmless! They can reach up to seven inches in length. Caterpillars feed on walnut, hickory, and maple. They also pupate under ground and emerge in spring.
|
|