Antheraea polyphemus

Polyphemus moth

Each hindwing carries a large eyespot that can be flashed suddenly to startle a bird in mid-attack.

Where	Deciduous woodland, orchards, and wetlands
Size	100 to 150 mm wingspan
When	March to October

The Polyphemus moth is a large, warm tan to reddish-brown moth with a big, purplish-blue and black eyespot ringed in yellow on each hindwing, and smaller, less complete eyespots on the forewings.

Caterpillars feed on the leaves of oak, birch, maple, hickory, and several other trees, and the pupa spins a tough, oval cocoon that can enter a dormant state to survive winter, with populations in the far north producing only a single generation a year.

Traits

Habitat

Woodland

Colour

Brown, Yellow

Active

Night

To people

Attracted to light; the caterpillar has no stinging hairs and cannot sting or bite.

Activity through the year

JFMAMJJASOND

Often confused with

North American luna mothOpen entry ›

Actias luna

Both are large native silk moths, but the Luna moth is pale green with long trailing tails on the hindwings and no large hindwing eyespots, while the Polyphemus moth is tan to brown with prominent blue and black eyespots and no tails.