cecropia moth

Cecropia moth is a common, extra large, giant silkworm moth. It is one of the two largest moths native to North America. The number of cecropia moths has decreased in recent decades due to parasitism of a tachinid fly (Compsilura concinnata). The fly was introduced into North America in 1906 in an attempt to control the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar).

Adults have a wingspan of 45 ⁄16″ to 5⅞″.

The thorax is red above with a conspicuous white collar. The white collar is the forward apex of a broad, white, lateral stripe that extends from the thorax to the last abdominal segment.

Each abdominal segment is red, outlined with a thin black line; has a fringe of white hairs at the end; and has a red spot in each lateral stripe.

The wings are dark brown, gray, and blackish with numerous white scales giving them a frosted appearance. The basal area of the forewing has at least some red shading and is bordered with a thin white and a thin black antemedial line. Both wings have red shading outside a strong white postmedial line. The forewing has a crescent-shaped spot in the median area near the leading edge. Each hindwing has a crescent-shaped spot near the outer margin of the discal cell. All four spots are red fading to white in the center and outlined with black. There is an eyespot in the subapical area near the tip of the forewing.

The head is red. There are no mouth parts and no hearing organs. The eyes are large and black. The antennae are feather-like and have branches on both sides of the central axis.

The legs are red.

Females have smaller, less bushy antennae and larger, more rounded abdomens.

The caterpillar is frosted green and up to 4″ long. There is a pair of prominent knobs in the dorsal area on thoracic segments 2 and 3 (T2 and T3) and on abdominal segments 1 through 7 (A1–A7). Abdominal segment 8 (A8) has a single dorsal knob. The dorsal knobs on T2, T3, and A1 are more or less globe shaped and have several tufts of minute black spines (spinules). The dorsal knobs on A2–A8 are elongated and cylindrical. The dorsal knobs on T2 and T3 are yellowish-orange. Those on T3 and A1–A7 are bright yellow. There is also a solitary knob in the subdorsal and spiracular areas of T1–T3 and A1–A8, and in the subspiracular area of T1 through T3. These knobs are pale blue and rise from a pale blue base. The leg-like structures (prolegs) on the abdomen are yellowish-green at the base and greenish-yellow at the tip. Mature caterpillars can be found from late June through August.

Wingspan: 45 ⁄16″ to 5⅞″

Columbia silkmoth (Hyalophora columbia) is a similar species found mostly in the western half of North America. The area outside the postmedial band is gray and does not have any red shading. The crescent spots are white, not red fading to white. On the caterpillar, the dorsal knobs are yellowish-white to yellowish-pink, not bright yellow. The lateral knobs are more white and emerge from black bases.

Woodlands, forests, fence rows, and suburbs

Late May to early August

When the adult is at rest the wings are open and flat.

Adults are nocturnal, taking flight a few hours after sunset. They are attracted to lights.

This moth is short-lived, lasting about two weeks, since it has no mouth parts and does not feed. There is one generation per year. The male uses its specialized antennae to detect pheromones released by the female. After breeding, the female lays a group of 3 to 30 large, somewhat flattened eggs in lines (rafts) of 3 to 10 eggs each on either side of a leaf of a host shrub or tree. The eggs hatch in 10 to 14 days and the newly emerged larvae begin feeding in groups on the leaves. Older caterpillars are solitary feeders. The larvae molt 5 or 6 times. In the fall the caterpillar spins a cocoon in which it will spend the winter. The cocoon is large and spindle-shaped. It is attached along its full length to a twig in a dark, protected area. The adult emerges in the spring.

Deciduous trees and shrubs including apple, ash, boxelder, cherry, poplar, willow, birch, elm, tamarack, and maple.

Adults do not feed.

Sources

4, 21, 24, 27, 29, 30, 75, 82, 83.

Common

On a tree in our front yard

I almost stepped on him this morning when I walked outside on my porch he is still alive I picked him up and moved him out of the way so he didn’t get hurt or killed by accident. I love moths like this.

Found 4 large caterpillars on a willow tree next to a slough.

I found a cecropia moth cocoon while cleaning up dead raspberry vines on May 3rd, …

…and kept it in a safe location until it hatched on May 29th.

This beautiful male was safely released as soon as it got dark.

Captured Cecropia Moth and relocated it to a safer place....

This past week I was at a convenience store fueling up and a woman who worked there came over to me all excited and asked me what this was? She said if flew out from underneath something and scared her. I told her it is just a big moth and they are harmless. She asked what kind is it? I told her it’s kind of an unusual name it’s a Cecropia. I told her they usually are out at night and it's really kind of out of its element.

Anyway I let it go in a more natural area with spruce, birch, boxelder and a maple tree in shade etc. Once out of the bucket it sat on the ground briefly then started fluttering (more like shivering) its wings. I'm guessing it was getting its circulation going or something. It wasn’t long it flew into the air and then around to a shaded area and landed somewhere. Anyway felt better the big moth was no longer clinging to the side of a gas pump area. Cecropia Moths are big and beautiful gentle creatures. The area released was in Norman Co. Mn.….my back yard.

It didn’t sit to long before taking off. I did grab my camera and take a couple photos though. This is a cropped one. Shot a little very brief 4k video. I didn’t know how long it would sit or what it was going to do once out of the bucket. So was unprepared and also just let it do its thing and take off on its own free will. It was nice to see it take off. Though I didn’t get any photos or video of it doing that just sitting still a couple seconds before it started shivering its wings. I had seen Monarchs and Regals do that before occasionally. I stopped filming it because it was just kind of shivering. So decided to try take a couple photos. It stopped shivering so to speak then after a few seconds just flew off.

I remember years ago when I was a boy seeing a couple of these moths flying around a street light at night. I thought maybe they were bats being a kid not knowing. But one came down low enough and landed briefly and I seen it was a big moth. I had no idea what kind it was back then.

I don’t have any kids and never been married but am a godparent 6 times. But they don’t have a day for that. So I just wish some family members a Happy Fathers Day. My dad passed away several years ago at age 56. So I’m just into the nature stuff on this rather hot and breezy day. One more hot day and it sounds like a bit cooler which will be nice. If you're a dad Happy Fathers Day. Stay cool!

This moth landed on out front steps and has been hanging out all day

Hanging out on our garage brick front where she? matched the colors. So exciting!

Has been sitting on the side of our garage for 3 days. Sometimes its wings are folded, other times fully open. Beautiful!

this one was caught in the rain and couldn’t fly. Will release when quits raining

2 cocoons and a moth hanging in the vines by my blooming apple tree this year!

Caterpillar

Could it be that it may have hitch-hiked here on a small Maple tree my friend recieved from a fellow friend in Perham?? Saw it on the sidewalk.

was on pavement of entranceway. Wings were not laid flat. Was windy outside and moth looked like it was struggling for stability due to wind. Put my finger out and moth crawled into my hand and sat there. Then it started to crawl and wiggled its forelegs bicycle style like it was letting me know it was ready to fly. It flew off and landed on a tall broad leaved deciduous landscaped shrub. Abdomen was very round...thinking it might have been a female?

Cecropia Moth - Hodges#7767 (Hyalophora cecropia)
Andree Reno Sanborn

Hyalophora cecropia (Cecropia Moth)
Allen Chartier

Cecropia Moth Cocoon Emergence: of Challenge and Change, Pt3.
David Britton

Cecropia moth 01
Published on Jun 19, 2018

Giant Cecropia Moth
Kimberly Pineda

Hyalophora cecropia Moth Lifecycle
LOBAM!

Cecropia Moth Caterpillar
NCJAVIDEO

Tera Wegele
6/16/2024

Location: Cottage Grove, MN

On a tree in our front yard

Charles
6/12/2024

Location: Ashland, Wisconsin

I almost stepped on him this morning when I walked outside on my porch he is still alive I picked him up and moved him out of the way so he didn’t get hurt or killed by accident. I love moths like this.

Location: Parkers Prairie, Mn

Found 4 large caterpillars on a willow tree next to a slough.

Location: Andover, MN

Was not alive when found in empty pool.

Location: Kline Volvo of Maplewood

On our dealer lot at Kline Volvo of Maplewood, MN

Location: Mower County

I found a cecropia moth cocoon while cleaning up dead raspberry vines on May 3rd, and kept it in a safe location until it hatched on May 29th. This beautiful male was safely released as soon as it got dark.

Location: Norman Co. Mn.

This past week I was at a convenience store fueling up and a woman who worked there came over to me all excited and asked me what this was? She said if flew out from underneath something and scared her. I told her it is just a big moth and they are harmless. She asked what kind is it? I told her it’s kind of an unusual name it’s a Cecropia. I told her they usually are out at night and it's really kind of out of its element.

I left and decided the gas pump area where it was just clinging to the side of a metal part in sunlight wasn’t a good place for it. So I got a clean ice cream pail cut some holes in the lid and went back and captured it. Figured it might get harmed or knocked onto the pavement and get ran over or something.

Anyway I let it go in a more natural area with spruce, birch, boxelder and a maple tree in shade etc. Once out of the bucket it sat on the ground briefly then started fluttering (more like shivering) its wings. I'm guessing it was getting its circulation going or something. It wasn’t long it flew into the air and then around to a shaded area and landed somewhere. Anyway felt better the big moth was no longer clinging to the side of a gas pump area. Cecropia Moths are big and beautiful gentle creatures. The area released was in Norman Co. Mn.….my back yard.

Susan and Ron
Cram
6/28/2021

Location: Pipestone, MN

spotted mating pair on trail

Location: Champlin, Mn.

This moth landed on out front steps and has been hanging out all day

Location: Forest Lake, MN

This moth was found at the base of the street light in our neighborhood a couple hours before sunset.

Location: Canby MN, Yellow Medicine County

Location: Edina, Minnesota

My husband was on the roof cleaning off the gutters when he saw the chrysalis. We put it in a safe spot until she hatched. She hatched, and not even 5 hours later was there a male attached to her. We watched it all happen. And we have the males body as a keepsake.

Location: Knife River, Minnesota

Location: Lyon County Courthouse

Location: Aalpha, MN , Jackson County

Beautiful. I have never seen one before and have lived on this farm for 25 years.

Location: Victoria, MN. Rhapsody neighborhood!

Location: Canby, MN

Found this one the evening of 7/2 in Canby.

Location: Apple valley, MN

Location: Maple Grove, MN

Gorgeous, never saw one that we remember.

Steve Sandberg
6/30/2019

Location: Champlin, MN

Location: White Bear Lake, Ramsey County

Location: Morton, MN

Beautiful, hung out on this shovel handle all day

Location: Litchfield Minnesota, Meeker County

Location: Bemidji, MN

Location: Wright County, MN

Location: Spring Grove, MN

Found in backyard. Huge!

Location: Cedar, MN

Found on side of my home in mid June. Approximate 6" wingspan. Really interesting, fuzzy body, large antenna. Was amazed by the snake like camouflage.

Location: Springfield, MN

this one was caught in the rain and couldn’t fly. Will release when quits raining

Location: Goodview, Mn

Location: Centerville, MN

Location: Minnetonka, MN

Has been sitting on the side of our garage for 3 days. Sometimes its wings are folded, other times fully open. Beautiful!

Location: Baudette, MN

A cool sighting in Lake of the Woods County! It's a good year for butterflies and moths up here.

Location: New Hope

found a pair mating on the bush in front of our house.

Location: Marshall, Minnesota (Lyon County)

cloudy day, about 62 outside. It was sitting on the sidewalk. Beautiful.

Location: Douglas County

Location: Barnesville, MN

On the outside wall at our local Dollar General.

Location: Duluth, MN 55807 (St Louis County)

2 cocoons and a moth hanging in the vines by my blooming apple tree this year!

Location: S. Minneapolis 4 blocks south of Minnehaha Creek

beautiful and amazing

Location: Osakis, MN

Could it be that it may have hitch-hiked here on a small Maple tree my friend recieved from a fellow friend in Perham?? Saw it on the sidewalk.

Location: Renvile County, MN

Found dead specimen in my fruit orchard.

Location: Apple orchard on farm near Franklin, MN

Wingspan over 6 inches. Mulberries plentiful this year. Beautiful!

Location: South Minneapolis near Minnehaha Creek

gorgeous

Dave H.
6/19/2018

Location: Elk River

Doug Roller
6/20/2018

Location: spring valley mn

Location: Garden City, MN, Blue Earth County

Location: Rollingstone, MN

Location: SW Rochester, MN

Location: outside Century College, White Bear Lake MN

was on pavement of entranceway. Wings were not laid flat. Was windy outside and moth looked like it was struggling for stability due to wind. Put my finger out and moth crawled into my hand and sat there. Then it started to crawl and wiggled its forelegs bicycle style like it was letting me know it was ready to fly. It flew off and landed on a tall broad leaved deciduous landscaped shrub. Abdomen was very round...thinking it might have been a female?

Location: outside Joann Fabrics in the Ridgedale Center parking lot 

Location: Golden Valley

Beautiful moth attracted to my Honeysuckle vine currently in full bloom. Also attracted to my porch light so I turned it off and this gorgeous specimen flew away, hopefullly to mate.

Location: Johnsville area of Blaine

on a maple tree

Location: Onamia

Wingspan of 5-5 1/2”

Terry Jandt
6/30/2017

Location: Downtown New Prague , mn

Location: Elk River

Location: Buffalo River State Park, Glyndon, MN

Location: Aitkin, MN

Location: Olmsted County

Location: Kwik Trip Pine Island MN

Seen about 4:15 am

Location: Brooklyn Center, MN

Location: Pine City

Carol
9/24/2015

Location: Rochester, MN

Libby
6/20/2015

Location: Edina, Mn

Todd
6/14/2014

Location: Oakdale, Mn