Page 371 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Saturniidae
DISTRIBUTION United States and southern Canada
HABITAT Deciduous woodlands, although common wherever food plants
are found
HOST PLANTS Decidous trees, including apple (Malus spp.), chokecherry
(Prunus spp.), chestnut (Castanea spp.), oak (Quercus spp.),
sycamore (Platanus spp.), and willow (Salix spp.)
NOTE Caterpillar that regurgitates its food if threatened
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but common throughout most of its range

ADULT WINGSPAN
4–6 in (102–152 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
4 in (102 mm)
ANTHERAEA POLYPHEMUS
POLYPHEMUS MOTH 369

(CRAMER, 1776)

Polyphemus Moth caterpillars hatch from large, flattened,
round eggs that have a band of brown along the outside edge.
They are solitary feeders and rarely found in close proximity
to each other. When threatened, the larvae regurgitate their
food, covering their bodies in a greenish-brown liquid in a bid
to deter predators. Though their green coloration acts as an
e ective camou age, the large size of fth instar larvae makes

them relatively easy to nd. The Polyphemus Moth caterpillar is bright
green with yellowish, vertical lines on each of the
abdominal segments, and pinkish protuberances
The caterpillars’ hard, large, egg-shaped cocoons are usually at each end. The caterpillar has a pronounced,
spun up among the leaves of the host plant and then drop to tan “face” and is sparsely covered with
non-urticating hairs.
the ground in the fall. Since there is no escape valve on the
cocoon, the adult moth secretes an enzyme that breaks down
one end, allowing it to escape and pump up its wings. The
Polyphemus Moth is one of North America’s largest moths,
sometimes rivaling the size of the Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora
cecropia). It is most famous for the large eyespots on its hind
wings, highlighted in yellow, blue, and black, which have
given rise to the common name, from Polyphemus,
one of the Cyclopes, a race of single-eyed giants in
ancient Greek mythology.

Actual size