Family Saturniidae
rss Green winged fuzzy bug
March 19, 2010
I found this bug on my porch today and I have never seen anything like this!
Susan
Houston, TX
Luna Moth
Hi Susan,
We are positively thrilled that you have sent in the first Luna Moth image of the year. Late in the winter, we start to get reports from the southern portions of its range, and as warm weather spreads north, so do the Luna Moth sightings. By mid may, we start to get reports from Maine and Canada.
Pretty Moth
March 11, 2010
I’ve seen this moth twice before, where I go to school. It’s about the size of a cupped palm, slightly smaller, and is very pretty to look at. I’ve been trying to find out what they’re called for ages. I let one crawl onto my hand and it was really docile, plus the fluff is very puffy and soft. ^_^ I only managed to get one decent picture. Help to identify it would be very much appreciated!
Nikolaus
Idyllwild, California
Pandora Pine Moth
Hi Nikolaus,
This beauty is a Pandora Pine Moth, Coloradia pandora, a species endemic to the west coast. According to BugGuide: “Two years are required to complete development. Second- or third-stage caterpillars overwinter the first year in tight clusters, resume feeding in the spring, pupate in June or July, and spend the second winter in underground pupation chambers lined with silk and plant litter. Some can remain in the pupal stage for up to 5 years before emerging as adults.“ The caterpillars are eaten by the Paiute Indians.
More Polyphemus Love
March 9, 2010
Last week we found a large cocoon on ground, brought it inside, and hung it in a jar. Last night we saw a large moth struggling in the bottom of the jar. We took it outside to a ficus tree on the patio, where it climbed up a few feet and stopped. As you can see in the first picture, the wings didn’t expand properly. But apparently male moths don’t care so much about pretty wings, because she found a mate in a matter of hours.
Matt in Houston
Houston, TX
Mating Polyphemus Moths
Hi Matt,
Thank you for your wonderful written account and your stunning photograph of mating Polyphemus Moths.
You’re welcome. I appreciate the site where I could find out exactly what it was quickly!
Wow, the life of a moth is short. Out of her cocoon barely a day, it appears she is already dead, or nearly so. But there are several eggs along the limbs, so the cycle continues.
Some variety of Saturniid Rothschildia?
March 1, 2010
I am currently visiting La Plata, Argentina and I saw this moth on a tree in the city. The photo was taken on February 14, 2010. I wish I’d thought to include something in the photo to use as a size reference, but if I had to guess, I’d say its wingspan was about 4″ across.
I think I looked through every one of your silk moth photos looking for the exact type and I also checked other resources (wikipedia.org, http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/kirbywolfe.htm, and others), but no luck yet.
Based on what I’ve seen, I’m pretty sure it’s some species of Saturniid Rothschildia, but none of the ones I’ve found seem quite right. There’s always one thing or another that’s different (shape of wings, shape/size/placement/orientation of markings, etc.).
I see that there are over 100 species of Rothschildia moths (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothschildia), so this may be quite a challenge.
Here’s a (tinyurl) link to Google maps of within about 200 ft. of the exact location of the moth siting: http://tinyurl.com/yarg65c.
Hopefully someone will recognize it.
Thanks!! }Ж{
Suzanne, visiting from Austin, TX
La Plata, Argentina
Possibly Rothschildia jacobaeae
Hi Suzanne,
There are at least nine species in the genus Rothschildia found in Argentina, and many look quite similar. We believe this is Rothschildia jacobaeae which can be viewed at http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/tdjacobaeae.htm and interestingly, the species used on the Wikipedia page. We will contact an expert, Bill Oehlke to see if he agrees with this identification.
Bill Oehlke confirms Identification
Daniel,
Yes, it is jacobaeae. I have contacted Suzanne, Thanks. She had also contacted me directly.
Bill Oehlke
Io Moth(?) emerged from cocoon
February 22, 2010
Hi there! I’ve been using your site for a long while now and love the troves of information available here (I use most of my free-time at school reading the posts here) and figured it’s high time I made a contribution. I’m a big bug fan and always keep a sharp eye out for interesting specimens; that said I have a photo and story that I hope might be of some use to your site.
Today at school (22nd of February, 9:00am) I noticed a fuzzy orange critter hanging out on the trunk of an oak tree. Upon closer inspection I believed it to be an Io Moth newly emerged from its cocoon (seeing as the wings had yet to unfurl) [1].
I gently coaxed the creature onto my hand and led it to a tree in a much less high-traffic area for its safety and snapped a photo on my phone (excuse the quality) before releasing it.
I returned to the critter after class (around 10:30am) to find the wings have begun stretching out [2].
I snapped another picture and continued on my way.
After school I checked back on it around 2:40pm to find the wings much more stretched out and the critter still hanging about on the same tree [3].
After the Robotics Club dispersed I took one final check at the tree to find the bright yellow eye-spots glaring at me, I payed my final respects to the fluffy moth and snapped a final pic [4] before it flew away to avoid the incoming rain.
I am unfortunate to live far from any decent wooded areas, so finds like this tend to be scarce and my hunt for the elusive Luna Moth has proved fruitless thus far. Hopefully with the arrival of spring many new insects will cross my path. ^_^
Carl B. – Aspiring Entomologist
Clermont, Florida
Io Moth Metamorphosis
Hi Carl,
Thanks for your kind words, your wonderful story, and your important photos documenting the final stages in the metamorphosis of a female Io Moth.
Moth idendification
February 8, 2010
Please can you identify this moth for me! One seems to male and the other (Bigger) female
Luka Geertsema
Pretoria, South Africa
Variable Prince female
Hi Luka,
We identified your moths as Holocerina smilax, the Variable Prince, on the World’s Largest Saturniidae Site. According to the website, females are larger, and the Caterpillars are probably a “valuable human food source.” You may see photos of the adult moth and variable caterpillars on the Bizland Silkmoths website. It is not possible for us to determine from the photograph which of your images if of the larger moth, so we are unable to label the sexes. Normally in Giant Silk Moths, the antennae of the male are more developed and feathery, but due to the position the moth assumes when at rest, the antennae are not visible. We are going to copy Bill Oehlke on this response as he may have additional information to provide for us.
Variable Prince male
Sexing Information from Bill Oehlke
Daniel,
Thanks. Yes they are Holocerina smilax. The male is the one which has the more produced forewing apex and very triangular hindwings with acute anal angle..
Bill Oehlke
Thanx a million, attached are more pics should they be usefull. PS, the one on the bark was the female with antenae without “feathers”, the other one (male) on the green vetivar grass leaf. Is it suppose to occur in SA?
Greetings,
Luka
Variable Prince female
Yes, it is native to South Africa. Thanks for the additional images.
Variable Prince male
More images as Promised 3
Luka Geertsema
Beautiful Moth
February 4, 2010
I hope that you can respond to my email in time. I don’t know what to do with this moth. I live in Cleveland and it is very cold right now. I found it in the house. I can’t let it outside. It will die I really don’t know what to do with it in the house. I feel so bad for it. I believe it just came out of its cocoon. It must have been in one of the plants that we had outside this summer. What is it? Can I keep it alive until spring, and how? (It’s only February!)
Wendy
Cleveland, Ohio
Polyphemus Moth
Hi Wendy,
Alas, even if the weather was fine, this lovely Polyphemus Moth would only live a few days. They do not feed as adults, and only live long enough to mate. Sadly, it will die without mating.
Thank you for responding so soon. How sad. It is so beautiful.
Wendy
fat orange bug
February 4, 2010
fat thick body orange bug with eye shaped patterns on its wings. didn’t move around much and was able to expand it’s wings open using a piece of grass
what?
south florida
Io Moth
Dear what?,
This is a female Io Moth. She can be distinguished from the male of the species because the male has yellow upper wings.
Io Moth
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