Ailanthus
Guides
Samia cynthia
ailanthus silkmoth, eri silkmoth
Samia cynthia is a large saturniid moth used for silk production, though less domesticated than Bombyx mori. Adults have wingspans of 113–125 mm with distinctive quarter-moon shaped spots on both wing surfaces, whitish and yellow stripes on a brown background, and eyespots on the outer forewings. The species is native to East Asia and has been introduced to multiple continents, often escaping from cultivation. The subspecies S. c. ricini, known as the eri silkmoth, feeds on castor bean and produces durable eri silk that must be spun rather than reeled.