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Think Moths are Drab? These Silkworm Moths May Surprise You Then

Since it’s National Moth Week and events are going on around the world in celebration of these diverse and amazing insects, I thought each day this week I will publish a short post featuring something about moths. Yesterday it was a Can You Spot the Lie? Today I want to feature some of our largest and most spectacular moths–the giant silkworm moths. 

These moths rival the beautiful of the butterflies you know and love. And some are just as big, if not bigger than our more common butterflies like the tiger swallowtail, monarch and fritillaries. 

Silk moths are in the family Saturniidae. All lack mouthparts in their adult, winged stage so do not feed. Their main objective is to find a mate, and for females, to lay eggs. Many are attracted to lights, which is how I got most of these photos–I put out a white sheet and a light and then stayed up late into the night to watch and photograph them. 

Which one is your favorite? 

A female imperial moth with perfect wings! Must have just emerged from her cocoon recently. Imperial moths have a wingspan of 3-7 inches!
This imperial moth has taken a beating. Her wings are tattered and torn with many scales missing. She continues on, her main focus finding a mate and laying eggs.
Notice how all of these imperial moths have such color and pattern variations!
A male imperial moth has much more of the purple color than the female.
An io moth with its wings closed. Io moths have a wingspan of 2-3 1/4 inches
Io moths, like many other moths have false eyes to scare predators.
The very beautiful luna moth. Luna moths have a wingspan of 3-4 inches.
A luna moth I saw while thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Male luna moths have more feathery antennae than females.
Two Lunas resting together on a rainy day.
A tulip-tree silk moth. These moths have a wingspan of 3-4 5/16th inches
Feathery antennae of a tulip tree silkmoth.
The tulip tree silkmoth is huge!
Another moth with false eyes, a Polyphemus moth. This moth has a wingspan of 4-6 inches.
This is a weathered and beat up male Polyphemus. Notice his feathery antennae.
The antennae of a regal moth
Moths have heavy bodies and have a wingspan of 3.75 – 6 inches
A regal moth is a beautiful sight!
These are orange-tipped oak worm moths, a female and male. The male is the smaller moth. This moth has a wingspan of 1 3/16th – 2 inches.
A female orange-tipped oak worm moth
The yellow and pink rosy-maple moth looks like a muppets character!
The pink color is not always so vibrant. Rosy maple moths have a wingspan between 1.25 – 2 inches.
This is the smallest of the silk moths.

Also in this group of silk moths in the family Saturniidae, are the honey locust moth, the promethea moth and the cecropia moth. I have no photos of these! Am hoping one of these days they come to my moth sheets so I can take their picture! 

Happy mothing! What fun things are you finding on your adventures? 

Related posts:

  1. One of our Largest and Most Colorful Moths
  2. Weekly Puzzler Answer 263
  3. In Praise of Moths… Some Things I Bet You Didn’t Know.
  4. Weekly Puzzler Answer #17

4 thoughts on “Think Moths are Drab? These Silkworm Moths May Surprise You Then”

    1. Sharon Mammoser says:

      Thanks Arden. There are so many beautiful moths in the world! I just want people to know moths can be beautiful too.Thanks for reading.

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