Giant-silk-moth
Guides
Actias luna
Luna Moth, North American Luna Moon Moth
Actias luna, the Luna moth, is a large, lime-green saturniid moth native to North America, recognized as one of the continent's most visually striking insects. Adults possess a wingspan reaching up to 114 mm (4.5 inches), with distinctive elongated hindwing tails and prominent eyespots that may confuse predators. The species exhibits strong sexual dimorphism: males have highly feathery antennae for detecting female pheromones, while females have slender antennae and larger abdomens. Larvae feed on a variety of broadleaf trees including sweetgum, hickory, walnut, birch, and sumac. The moth is univoltine in northern portions of its range, with larvae overwintering in leaf-litter-camouflaged cocoons before emerging as adults in spring; southern populations may produce two or three broods annually.
Agapema
Agapema is a genus of giant silk moths in the family Saturniidae, closely allied to Saturnia. The genus was established in 1894 by Neumoegen and Dyar. It contains six described species distributed in North America. The pupal stage serves as a host for parasitoid wasps.
Antheraea polyphemus
Polyphemus moth, Polyphemus silk moth
A large North American silk moth with tan to brown coloration and distinctive purplish eyespots on the hindwings, named after the cyclops Polyphemus from Greek mythology. Adults have vestigial mouthparts and do not feed, living less than one week. The species produces silk cocoons and has been used in hybridization experiments with other silk moths. Two broods typically emerge annually across most of its range.
Automeris cecrops pamina
Automeris cecrops pamina is a subspecies of giant silk moth in the family Saturniidae, occurring in southwestern North America and Middle America. As a member of the Automeris genus, adults possess distinctive eyespots on the hindwings used for predator defense. The caterpillars bear urticating spines capable of delivering a painful sting. This subspecies represents the western portion of the broader Automeris cecrops species complex.
Calosaturnia
Calosaturnia is a small genus of giant silk moths in the family Saturniidae, first described by John Bernhard Smith in 1886. The genus contains three recognized species, all endemic to western North America. Taxonomic placement has been unstable; the group is sometimes treated as a subgenus of Saturnia. The genus is notable for its restricted geographic range and distinctive wing patterns.
Citheronia
Citheronia is a genus of giant silk moths (Saturniidae) established by Jacob Hübner in 1819. The genus comprises approximately 20 species distributed across the Americas, from the United States through Mexico, Central America, and into South America as far as Argentina. The genus is notable for its large, striking caterpillars—such as the famous "hickory horned devil" of C. regalis—which bear prominent horn-like projections and undergo dramatic morphological changes between instars. Adults are characterized by reduced or non-functional mouthparts and short adult lifespans devoted primarily to reproduction.
Citheronia regalis
Regal Moth, Royal Walnut Moth
Citheronia regalis is a large North American saturniid moth known as the regal moth or royal walnut moth. Its larval stage, the hickory horned devil, is one of the largest caterpillars in North America north of Mexico and is notable for its striking appearance with prominent red and black horns. Adults have vestigial mouthparts and do not feed, living only about a week to mate and lay eggs. The species has a single generation per year throughout most of its range.
Citheronia sepulcralis
pine-devil moth
Citheronia sepulcralis, commonly known as the pine-devil moth, is a giant silk moth in the family Saturniidae. Adults are blackish-brown in color and lack functional mouthparts. The species occurs across the eastern and southeastern United States, with larvae feeding exclusively on pine species. Multiple broods occur in southern regions, while northern populations are univoltine.
Citheronia splendens
Splendid Royal Moth
Citheronia splendens, the splendid royal moth, is a large saturniid moth found from southern Arizona southward into central and southeastern Mexico. Adults have a wingspan of 106–150 mm and are active from July to August. The species was first described by Herbert Druce in 1886 and is recognized by three described subspecies.
Eacles imperialis
Imperial Moth
Eacles imperialis is a large saturniid moth with the widest geographic range in its genus, extending from southern Canada to Argentina. Adults display substantial color variation, with yellow base coloration and variable red, brown, and purple markings. The species has experienced regional decline in the northeastern United States, with some New England populations extirpated, while remaining common in the Mid-Atlantic, Appalachia, and Deep South.
Eacles imperialis imperialis
Imperial moth
Eacles imperialis imperialis is a subspecies of giant silk moth in the family Saturniidae. Adults are large, colorful moths with yellow and purple-brown patterning. Unlike many related silk moths, larvae do not spin silk cocoons; instead they burrow into soil to pupate. The subspecies has experienced significant population declines in parts of New England, including extirpation from Connecticut, though it remains widespread across much of North, Central, and South America.
Eacles imperialis nobilis
Texas Imperial Moth
Eacles imperialis nobilis is a variety of the Imperial moth, commonly known as the Texas Imperial Moth. As a member of the giant silk moth family Saturniidae, it is a large, nocturnal species with vestigial adult mouthparts and larvae that feed on diverse woody vegetation. The variety designation suggests geographic differentiation within the broader Eacles imperialis complex, which ranges from Canada to Argentina. Like other Imperial moth populations, this variety faces threats from light pollution, habitat destruction, pesticides, and introduced parasitoid flies.
Eacles imperialis pini
Imperial moth (pini subspecies), pine-feeding Imperial moth
Eacles imperialis pini is a subspecies of the Imperial moth, a giant silk moth in the family Saturniidae. This subspecies is notable for its association with pine and other coniferous trees as larval hosts, distinguishing it from nominate populations that feed primarily on deciduous trees. Adults are large, visually striking moths with yellow and purple-brown patterning. The subspecies occurs in North America, with documented populations on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, where it has persisted while other Imperial moth populations in New England have declined or been extirpated.
Eacles oslari
Oslar's eacles, Oslar's Imperial Moth
Eacles oslari is a large silk moth in the family Saturniidae, native to the Sky Islands region of southeastern Arizona and adjacent northern Mexico. Adults display variable wing coloration ranging from yellow to purple-brown. The species was described by Walter Rothschild in 1907 and named after Ernest J. Oslar, the first entomology curator of the Colorado Museum of Natural History. Adults are active during the summer monsoon season and are known to be vulnerable to bat predation.
Hyalophora
Giant Silk Moths, Silkmoths
Hyalophora is a genus of giant silk moths in the family Saturniidae, containing some of the largest and most visually striking moths in North America. The genus includes the cecropia moth (H. cecropia), North America's largest native moth, along with several other notable species such as the Columbia silkmoth and Glover's silkmoth. Adults are characterized by their large size, broad wings with distinctive eyespot patterns, and reduced mouthparts—they do not feed. Larvae are equally impressive, with bright coloration and prominent tubercles or spines. The genus was established by James Duncan and John O. Westwood in 1841.
Hyalophora cecropia
Cecropia moth, Cecropia silkmoth, Robin moth
Hyalophora cecropia, the cecropia moth, is North America's largest native moth, with females documented at wingspans of 130-180 mm (5-7 inches). A member of the Saturniidae family (giant silk moths), this univoltine species produces one generation per year. Adults lack functional mouthparts and survive approximately two weeks solely on stored fat reserves. The species has declined in parts of New England due to parasitism by the introduced tachinid fly Compsilura concinnata, which was originally brought to North America for gypsy moth control.
Hyalophora euryalus
Ceanothus silkmoth, Ceanothus silk moth
Hyalophora euryalus, the ceanothus silkmoth, is a large saturniid moth native to western North America. Adults lack functional mouthparts and do not feed, living solely to reproduce. The species is notable for its broad host plant range spanning multiple plant families. Larvae possess urticating hairs and scoli that can cause skin irritation. The moth has a single generation per year, with adults active from January through July depending on latitude and elevation.