Stats

Lifespan: A few weeks
Size: Large
Diet: Herbivore
Activity: Nocturnal
Social: Solitary
Biome: Temperate forest
Range: North America
Movement: Flight
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Warning Colors
Status: Common

About

One of North America's largest silk moths, the Polyphemus is named for the giant Cyclops of Greek myth — its hindwings bear striking eyespots ringed in blue and yellow that flash open to startle predators. Adults emerge with no functional mouthparts and spend their entire week-long lives solely focused on mating.

Life cycle

1.
egg
A tiny ribbed egg laid on the underside of a host-plant leaf, hatching within days.
2.
caterpillar
A voracious caterpillar feeds and molts through several instars, growing rapidly.
3.
cocoon
A silk cocoon spun in leaf litter or soil while the body remodels into a winged adult.
4.
moth
A winged adult with feathery antennae and scaled wings, most active after dark.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Saturniidae
Genus: Antheraea
Species: Antheraea polyphemus