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polyphemus moth

polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus)

Features and Behaviors

FEATURES
The polyphemus moth is yellow-brown to red-brown and has an eyespot on each wing. Its wingspan is four to five inches. The feathery antennae are larger in the male than in the female. The large larva is green with a few spiny projections and dark markings.

BEHAVIORS
The polyphemus moth may be found statewide in Illinois. The adult does not feed. The larva eats the leaves of trees and shrubs. The pupa is formed in a leaf on the ground, where it overwinters. One generation per year is produced.

Illinois Range

Taxonomy

​Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Saturniidae

Illinois Status: common, native