Antheraea polyphemus, Polyphemus Moth - Wildlife Gardeners

BooBooBearBecky · 06-10-2010, 01:53 AM

Polyphemus Moth, Antheraea polyphemus

More about the Polyphemus Moth from wikipedia.

Quote:

The most notable feature of the moth is its large, purplish eyespots on its two hindwings. The caterpillar of the Polyphemus Moth can eat 86,000 times its weight at emergence in a little less than two months.

I took these photos early am this past Sunday morning.

Antheraea polyphemus, Polyphemus Moth-moth_33.jpg

Antheraea polyphemus, Polyphemus Moth-moth_37.jpg

Antheraea polyphemus, Polyphemus Moth-moth_36.jpg

Antheraea polyphemus, Polyphemus Moth-moth_31.jpg

Antheraea polyphemus, Polyphemus Moth-moth_05.jpg

Does this moth actually have hair??? I guess I've just never looked really close before.
A hairy moth??? Bugs with hair give me the heebeejeebies. (s-h-i-v-e-rrrrrrr)

The cats feed on birch, willow, oak, maple, hickory, beech, honey locust, walnut, pear, plum, peach, apricot, cherry, cassafras, citrus, and elm.

I have cherry, plum, maple, birch, and oak trees. The maples, oaks and birch are well established, I've only recently added the others (cherry & plum trees ) in the past few years.

Cirsium · 06-10-2010, 02:07 AM

Nice photos of the Polyphemus moth, one of the giant silk moths:
Species Detail | Butterflies and Moths of North America

Beautiful moth!

BooBooBearBecky · 06-10-2010, 03:02 AM

Cirsium-
Thanks for the Moth ID. I made the corrections in my post.

Is that really hair on the Polyphemus Moth? Just curious.

Cirsium · 06-10-2010, 03:17 AM

They're actually called scales; scales are just modified hairs. But since they are scales you should be able to avoid the heebeejeebies.

Gloria · 06-10-2010, 08:54 AM

Moths are often as beautiful as the butterflies. Some moths look very cool with long hair and wings like sweeping capes.

Futile Crescent · 05-02-2011, 08:18 PM

Had 2 last night. 1 landed on the window with it's wings flattened out. Really cool looking through the transparent circles in the eye spots. It was still on the window when I left for work this morning. When I tapped on the glass , it just fell. The other one landed on a porch post with it's wings folded. It was still there at 7:00 AM when I left for work and is still out there now at 9:00 PM. The 2 of them had been flying all around the porch last night and I wondered if it was a mating dance or chase. My little butterfly/moth book doesn't mention behavior. Not sure both of them doing this would be a good reproductive strategy. Any ideas?

havalotta · 05-03-2011, 10:41 PM

Maybe they became lethargic due to the cooling evening temps like the salamanders I had found yesterday.
They never moved an inch in their almost dormant state. Snowed again last night!
Nice find Booboo!

06-10-2010, 02:07 AM	#2
Cirsium Co-Administrator Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Midwest	Nice photos of the Polyphemus moth, one of the giant silk moths: Species Detail \| Butterflies and Moths of North America Beautiful moth! __________________ "We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect." Aldo Leopold

06-10-2010, 03:02 AM	#3
BooBooBearBecky WG Operations, Facilitator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Northern Wisconsin	Cirsium- Thanks for the Moth ID. I made the corrections in my post. Is that really hair on the Polyphemus Moth? Just curious. __________________ "Getting your hands dirty is the best way to keep your head clean."

06-10-2010, 03:17 AM	#4
Cirsium Co-Administrator Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Midwest	They're actually called scales; scales are just modified hairs. But since they are scales you should be able to avoid the heebeejeebies. __________________ "We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect." Aldo Leopold

06-10-2010, 08:54 AM	#5
Gloria A Bee's Best Friend Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chicago Illinois USA	Moths are often as beautiful as the butterflies. Some moths look very cool with long hair and wings like sweeping capes. __________________ "Half Earth Quest" Edward O. Wilson http://pollinators-welcome.blogspot.com/

05-02-2011, 08:18 PM	#6
Futile Crescent Carbon Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Richmond Virginia	Polyphemus moths Had 2 last night. 1 landed on the window with it's wings flattened out. Really cool looking through the transparent circles in the eye spots. It was still on the window when I left for work this morning. When I tapped on the glass , it just fell. The other one landed on a porch post with it's wings folded. It was still there at 7:00 AM when I left for work and is still out there now at 9:00 PM. The 2 of them had been flying all around the porch last night and I wondered if it was a mating dance or chase. My little butterfly/moth book doesn't mention behavior. Not sure both of them doing this would be a good reproductive strategy. Any ideas?

05-03-2011, 10:41 PM	#7
havalotta WG Prize & Gift Coordinator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Michigan	Maybe they became lethargic due to the cooling evening temps like the salamanders I had found yesterday. They never moved an inch in their almost dormant state. Snowed again last night! Nice find Booboo! __________________ The successful woman is the woman that had the chance and took it! A walk among the elusive Whitetail Deer

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