Largest Furry Moth I have ever seen!!
February 2, 2010
Hi bugman, we found this very large moth on our house this morning – Near Wellington, New Zealand.
He was approx 15cm wing span with beautiful colourful brown/green and even pink markings but a little too furry for my likings. Sorry its not the best photo, I did not like to get too close to it 
We have some swan plants in our back garden with Monarch Butterfly eggs and caterpillars, so we are very proud of our bugs!!
Shona (mum), Charlie & Teddy
Paremata, Wellington, New Zealand
Emperor Gum Moth
Hi Shona, Charlie and Teddy,
This gorgeous moth is an Emperor Gum Moth, Opodiphthera eucalypti. As you can see from the images on the Csiro Entomology site for Australia, there are many variations. It is an introduced species in New Zealand.
¶ Posted 02 February 2010 § ‡ ° what is this bug?
January 19, 2010
this is a florida find. we have no idea what it is other than a moth.
plaes and thank you
florida
Oakworm Moth newly metamorphosed
This is a newly metamorphosed Oakworm Moth in the genus Anisota. The wings have not yet expanded to their full size. Sometimes, this fails to happen and the adult moth will never be capable of flight. BugGuide has a nearly identical photo, and there is also considerable information on the genus posted to BugGuide.
Oakworm Moth
¶ Posted 20 January 2010 § ‡ ° Glover’s Silk Moth?
January 16, 2010
We are in the hills near Temecula and have willows, buckbrush, ceanothus on the property.
Thanks for any additional information.
Matt Stone
Temecula, CA 92592
Ceanothus Silkmoth
Hi Matt,
Your visitor is a Ceanothus Silkmoth, Hyalophora euryalus, a California native that does not feed as an adult, but has a caterpillar that feeds on Ceanothus, or California lilac. According to BugGuide, the larvae also feed on willow, so your property should be a natural habitat for the Ceanothus Silkmoth.
Ceanothus Silkmoth
¶ Posted 16 January 2010 § ‡ ° January 15, 2009
Thanks! You identified a Spotted Apatelodes Moth for me. No description or photo would fit it. I kept saying that it looked like bark. I may have seen a butterfly the other day that resembled it, but this morning was cool, and it was tired. I was able to pick it up, and was able to get a close look at it. Still looks like bark, but I noticed the feather antennae, and the curved abdomen. This evening I found your site. So I am very excited. You will look long and hard for an image of it, because… it looks like bark. I put it onto an arbor vitae, so maybe I’ll be able to get a photo tomorrow, if it is still there. Peace!
kathy
Spotted Apatelodes
Hi Kathy,
We are thrilled that you have used our website to identify your Spotted Apatelodes. We are including a photo submitted previously to post with your letter. We haven’t received any recent images of this unusual moth and we hope you are able to locate and photograph the individual you saw.
¶ Posted 15 January 2010 § ‡ ° Moth like wings spiny red legs
January 14, 2010
Hi,
Found this bug on the outside of our house. It is about the size of the palm of your hand and has wings that look like a moth’s, but spiny crab-like legs. It didn’t move from the same spot for 3 days, and just today was gone. Any ideas? Thanks!
Not a big bug fan
San Diego, CA
Ceanothus Silkmoth
Dear Not a big bug fan,
Interestingly, your friend L sent us this exact photo yesterday, but it was a lower resolution and we were lamenting to ourselves that the resolution was so poor. L will probably be disappointed to find out you already know the answer. We didn’t tell L the scientific name is Hyalophora euryalus, or that the natural range is from Baja to Canada along the westernmost portion of North America. Here is what we wrote back to L a few minutes ago.
This is a Ceanothus Silkmoth. With more Southern California Landscaping being mindful of drought tolerant plants, especially native vegetation, we expect to be getting more reports of sightings of Ceanothus Silkmoths each year. Your letter does not indicate if your friend lives near any natural open space, as this native moth, which does not feed as an adult and only lives for a few days, long enough to mate. The Ceanothus Silkmoth develops from a large caterpillar that feed on the leaves of ceanothus, a plant sometimes marketed as California lilac. BugGuide reports California sightings from March through August, so this January appearance is uncharacteristically early, but it may also be a result of our unseasonal rains this past October.
Thank you! You solved the mystery, you guys sure know your bugs . Very interesting looking moth.
¶ Posted 14 January 2010 § ‡ ° What is this insect?
January 13, 2010
This bug (moth?) has been on the side of my friends house for a few days. She lives in San Diego County. It’s January.
She says the legs are crab like and it is about the size of her hand.
L
San Diego, California
Ceanothus Silkmoth
Dear L,
This is a Ceanothus Silkmoth. With more Southern California Landscaping being mindful of drought tolerant plants, especially native vegetation, we expect to be getting more reports of sightings of Ceanothus Silkmoths each year. Your letter does not indicate if your friend lives near any natural open space, as this native moth, which does not feed as an adult and only lives for a few days, long enough to mate. The Ceanothus Silkmoth develops from a large caterpillar that feed on the leaves of ceanothus, a plant sometimes marketed as California lilac. BugGuide reports California sightings from March through August, so this January appearance is uncharacteristically early, but it may also be a result of our unseasonal rains this past October.
¶ Posted 14 January 2010 § ‡ ° ‘large brown moth
December 25, 2009
We found a live moth in our house that we have not seen before. It has a wing span of about 12cm the length of a pen and has cicles on the lower wings. see photo.
Missie Macdonald
Leithfield, North Canterbury
Emperor Gum Moth
Hi Missie,
We needed to check an Atlas to determine that North Caterbury was not in England, but rather on the South Island of New Zealand. We are quite certain that this is an Emperor Gum Moth, Opodiphthera eucalypti, and the species has been introduced to both the North and South islands of New Zealand. This is our second report of an Emperor Gum Moth from New Zealand in a few weeks.
Massive Moth
December 21, 2009
Found this massive moth inside under some flourescent lights, I am interested to know what it is, I have never seen such a big moth before!
?
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Emperor Gum Moth
Dear ?,
The Emperor Gum Moth, Opodiphthera eucalypti (formerly Antheraea eucalypti) is native to Australia, but it has been introduced to New Zealand in the early 20th Century. The Government of South Australia has a nice online PDF available on the species.
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