Sphinx moth? Which species?
Hi, Bugman,
I just found your site via google and am delighted with the questions, answers, and photos! We live in southern West Virginia, near the New River Gorge, surrounded by many acres of tall second-growth poplar, oak, maple, beech, and hemlock. I found a lovely golden moth with a plump, fuzzy gold body on my office screen this morning. I think it’s a Sphinx moth, but my most complete reference book (Golden Guide to Butterflies and Moths!) doesn’t have an image that matches it. Then, this afternoon my husband found four moth wings in the garage, under the 66 Mustang he’s restoring, and I thought they looked like the wings on “my” moth, so I took some photos. Here are two: one of “my” moth and “his” wings; the other of the moth (now “ours”) alone. What, please, is the name of our moth?
Many thanks,
Ellen Scheel and Julian Skaggs
Hi Ellen and Julian,
Your moth is not a Sphinx, but a Giant Silkworm or Saturnid Moth. It is a male Io Moth, Automeris io. These are beautiful moths. The female has brown upper wings. The caterpillar has stinging spines. Your moth probably did not really meet an untimely end since they live only to mate and do not eat as adults.
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Posted 08 July 2005
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large moth found in new jersey
any idea what kind of moth this is?it was found in new jersey in may sometime.
thanks
faith kessner
Hi Faith,
We have gotten many pictures of Cecropia Moths this spring.
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Posted 05 July 2005
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moth identification
Hello,
Like others, I came across your site trying to identify a moth that I had never seen before. I arrived home to find it clinging to our screen door where it remained throughout the afternoon. We live in Sherwood , Wisconsin which is about 30 minutes southwest of Green Bay . I am a novice, so perhaps this moth is relatively common, but it was the first time I had never seen a moth so large or exotic! Your site has wonderful photos and kind and helpful responses. Would you be able to help me identify this moth?
Many thanks,
Beccy
Hi Beccy,
Thanks for the most excellent photo of a Cecropia Moth, Hyalophora cecropia. It is often considered the largest North American moth, but some writers give that distinction to another Giant Silkworm Moth, the Polyphemus Moth.
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Posted 01 July 2005
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Please identify
My kids and I found this on our sliding glass door, neighbor said it was rare, I honestly don’t know. Any help would be great. It stayed around all evening, much to my kids delight. Thanks,
Corinna Waidelich
Hi Corinna,
The scarsity of the Rosy Maple Moth, Dryocampa rubicunda, is questionable, at least with regards to your area. The caterpillars, which feed on red and silver maple leaves, can be so numerous they strip the trees. Here is a site called Moth of New Jersey that has some information. In my very outdated Holland Moth Book (1934) where it is identified as Anisota rubicunda, the author writes: “It was formerly very common in the city of Pittsburgh, but for many years past it has almost entirely disappeared, so that it is now regarded as a rather rare insect by local collectors. The disappearance of the moth is due no doubt to the combined influence of the electric lights, which annually destroy millions of insects, which are attracted to them, and to gas-wells, and furnaces, which lick up in their constantly burning flames other millions of insects. Perhaps the English sparrow has also had a part in the work of extermination.”
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Posted 01 July 2005
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moth identity
Found this beautiful & large moth in my backyard last night, the second one in as many weeks, much to my kids joy. I’m pretty sure it’s a hawk-eyed moth, but would like confirmation. Also any links for more info, such as what the larva is consuming. Cheers!
Greg,
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Hi Greg,
Your moth is not a Hawkmoth, but a Polyphemus Moth, Antheraea polyphemus, one of the Giant Silkworms in the Family Saturniidae. The large caterpillars eat leaves from alder, basswood, birch, chestnut, elm, hickory, maple, poplar sycamore, and oak as well as other hardwood trees.
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Posted 26 June 2005
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Hey bugman,
Have any idea what this is? My neighbor found it on her deck. It is about 3-4 inches long and just sitting there. So I took a picture and hope you can id it.
Thanks
Liz in Louisville KY
Hi Liz,
In September, we get photos and letters about the Hickory Horned Devil, a very impressive caterpillar, but we have never gotten a photo of the adult moth, until now. Your Regal Moth is also known as a Royal Walnut Moth, Citheronia regalis. The caterpillar feeds on hickory, walnut, butternut, ash, sumac sweet gum and persimmon. It ranges throughout the eastern U.S. and Canada, but is most common in the South. Adults are short lived and do not feed.
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Posted 25 June 2005
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luna moth
I live in Dutchess County, NY, and today I spotted my first Luna Moth (a male), hanging out on my screen door. I tried to relocate it to a nearby tree, but it wanted none of that. In fact, when I approached it with my camera, it got so scared it started shaking. Nonetheless, I managed a few pictures of it anyway, albeit with my cameraphone, and thought I’d share them with you since I just discovered your wonderful site. I should start one for birds, although it’d be far less challenging!
Liz
P.S. There are two images in this zip file: one is of the moth on the woodchips under the bush and the other is when it was on the concrete step in front of my door.
Hi Liz,
Thanks for the photo.
luna moth pic
love your website! I thought I would send you a picture of our lovely luna moth we found this morning hanging on the edge of a hosta leaf. The color of the moth and hosta matched so perfectly we wondered if it was more than coincidence that he chose to land there?
David & Patricia
Raleigh, NC
Hi David and Patricia,
I must say I feel a twinge of jealousy whenever we receive a new photo of a Luna Moth, and yours was the second today. The backlighting in your photo really reveals the delicate beauty of America’s most beautiful moth. Growing up in Ohio, I never ever saw a living one. Now that I am in California, there is no chance unless I happen to holiday back east when they are flying. Thank you for you kind words.
Large green moth in GA
This moth visited my back deck on a warm rainy night this June 11, 2005. One pair if "eyes" on the wings is clearly visible in the photo; there is another pair on the secondary wings, and you can just make them out through the top wings. There appears to be damage to the covered wings in the photo. Is this a type of Satellite Sphinx moth?
Thanks
Mike Duffy
Hi Mike,
Your moth is a Luna Moth, perhaps the lovliest North American Moth.
Moth
Bugman,
I live in the Bay Area and saw this moth yesterday on the sidewalk. What type of moth is this? Is this moth rare?
-Derek
Hi Derek,
This is a Polyphemus Moth, Antheraea polyphemus. It ranges throughout the U.S. and is not rare. Because of their large size, they always create a stir when seen for the first time.
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Posted 13 May 2005
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not sure what kind of bug this is(pic enclosed)
I Live in Charlotte, NC and last night (5/09/05) my wife heard a thump outside our bedroom window, I looked and saw what appeared to be a bat, this was about 10"ish. This morning we noticed it was still out on the wall so I took some pictures. Enclosed find a picture, this was taken about twenty feet away from the insect. I asked a few people down here and no one knows what this bug is. It is freaken huge for a bug.
George Doscher
Hi George,
While 10 inches is a gross exageration, Luna Moths, what many consider the most beautiful native insect, can grow to almost 6 inches across. Thanks for the image. There is a new television commercial for a sleep aid that features the Luna Moth.
Thanks Dan,
Been looking it up now thru usgs web site, a friend called me and stated that he had one on his screen and it freaked him out….. as well…. I have been living here for like five years never seen them before…asked a few people here and no one knew what it was. By the by you have a cool web site…
Moths
I took some digital photos of a moth in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. I haven’t been able to find a picture on the internet that can tell me which moth it is. The blue beam in the picture is 4″ high by 1-5/8″ wide. That makes the moth about 2-1/4″ tall as it sit (which is about 4-1/2″ of wingspan). There are 4 eggs laid beside this moth, they are pretty close to the size of a BB. Please let me know if you can identify it. Thank you,
Nick Mankwald
Hi Nick
It looks to me like you have a female Columbia Silk Moth, Hyalophora columbia, a smaller and drabber relative of the Cecropia Moth. The Columbia Silk Moth is similar to the Cecropia, but lacking a red band in the hind wing. It is found in forested regions of Canada and New England.
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Posted 09 May 2005
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