Species Antheraea polyphemus - Polyphemus Moth - Hodges#7757

7757

described in 1776 by Cramer, who originally placed it in genus Phalaena

Polyphemus was the mythological one-eyed cyclops, mentioned in The Odyssey of Homer.

The most common of the large Saturnid moths in much of its range, and the only species in this genus in North America listed at All-Leps, which also lists three subspecies: oculea, olivacea, and polyphemus.

Wingspan 100-150 mm

Adult: large, brown, with a small round eyespot near the middle of the forewing, and a huge round or elliptical eyespot near the middle of the hindwing. Males (below, left) have much smaller bodies but much larger and more feathery antennae than do females (below, right). There is a lot of variability in this species.

Larva: body large, bright green, with red and silvery spots below setae, and oblique yellow lines running through spiracles on abdomen; diagonal streak of black and silver on ninth abdominal segment; head and true legs brown; base of primary setae red, subdorsal and lateral setae have silver shading below; end of prolegs with yellow ring, and tipped in black

Widespread in North America: southern Canada southward. Most widespread North American saturniid: found in all Canadian provinces except Newfoundland. Found in virtually every one of the continental United States (see US distribution map).

Deciduous forests, orchards, some wetlands. Adults (imagos) of both sexes frequent at lights.

In southern United States, adults fly April-May and July-August (2 broods); in northern part of range, adults fly from May to July (1 brood).

Larvae present March to November

Larvae feed on leaves of broad-leaved trees and shrubs, including birch, grape, hickory, maple, oak, willow, and members of the rose family.

Adults do not feed.

Two or more generations per year in the south, one in the north. Cocoon (shown below) is often prominent in winter, left hanging from a host plant and easy to spot. Cocoons are also spun in leaf litter.

Adults of Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia) have a white line across middle of forewing and crescent-shaped eyespots - as do other species of Hyalophora

Adults of Callosamia species have an eyespot near the tip of the forewing, and usually have angular or wedge-shaped markings near the middle of both wings

Larvae of Luna Moth (Actias luna) are superficially similar but have a yellow spiracular stripe on the first 8 abdominal segments

Tuskes, pp. 177-179, map 31, plate 22--adult, plate 6--larva, fig. 31--cocoon (1)

Arnett and Jacques, #250 (2)

Covell, p. 49, plates: 1 #15--larva, 2 #4--cocoon, 9 #7--imago (3)

Himmelman, plate A-5, note p. 116, discusses origin of name (4)

Holland, pp. 87-89, plate IX, figs. 10--antennae, 41--larva, 42--cocoon (5)

Butterflies and Moths of North America species account plus US distribution map and live adult image

Caterpillars of Eastern Forests live larva image by David Wagner and Valerie Giles, plus description, foodplants, seasonality, life cycle (USGS)

Caterpillars of Pacific Northwest Forests and Woodlands live larva image by Jeffrey Miller, plus description, foodplants, seasonality (USGS)

Lynn Scott, Ontario live adult images plus description, foodplants, flight season

Georgia Leps pinned adult image

Dallas Butterflies pinned adult image and foodplants (Dale Clark, Texas)

Maryland Moths adult images and dates (Larry Line, Maryland)

distribution in Canada list of provinces (CBIF)

author, date, and original genus (nearctica.com)