Female found mid-morning of November 7, 2009, Haddonfield, NJ, on sidewalk after night of our first heavy frost; has white antennae, same spotted under wings, no white lines on legs, abdomen less hairy but same black segments separated by white. She laid eggs in dish of slightly damp flowerpot soil, probably not the best substitute, in clumps and singly as she roamed, sometimes with wings strongly beating. I have not found another picture of this moth; David L. Wagner's description of the Giant Leopard Moth, Hypercompe scribonia, states that it overwinters in New England as nearly full-grown caterpillars. Is this leopard moth similar enough in life cycle to the giant leopard moth that this is a female that was not found by a suitor and that the eggs are therefore sterile?, or can these eggs overwinter and hatch if I can keep them moist enough?

I found one of these in the garden centre where i work the other day, i was completely fascinated by it, i'd never seen anything like it, so i had to investigate what it was, such a beautiful moth, i live in folkestone, in the south east of the uk is it usual for them to be around here?

This is Zeuzera pyrina, the Leopard moth, in the family Cossidae. Not to be confused with the great leopard moth which is an Artiidae.