Moth sighting: The Imperial Moth

 Scott managed to capture some photos of this large moth that appeared on my balcony. It had probably been attracted by a light I had left on. The imperial moth (Eacles imperiali) is of the Saturniidae family. It has a wing span of 3 1/8 - 6 7/8 inches and can appear in various morphs as pictured below. The caterpillars feed on both coniferous and deciduous trees such as: pine, oak, box elder, maples, sweet gum, and sassafras. The adults do not feed.

Shawn Hanrahan at the Texas A&M University Insect Collection in College Station

We did not collect this specimen which is a good thing since I later learned that there is some evidence that this species has recently, or is currently experiencing a population decline. It is possible that it is being impacted by pesticides and/or parasitoids. Additionally, being attracted to artificial lighting increases predation risk and disrupts behaviors such as flight, reproduction, dispersal, and feeding.

Sources: butterfliesandmoths.org, Wikipedia