Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands

Antheraea polyphemus [Saturniidae]

Wingspan 12.2 cm. Forewing is brown with pink edges to the basal and submarginal lines, reniform spot is round and translucent, apical spot is small and black; hindwing with a broad black submarginal line and a large black, blue, and yellow discal eyespot. This saturniid is known as the polyphemus moth and is common and widely distributed in wet forests of western North America. Moths fly in late spring and early summer. Caterpillars are generalist feeders on flowering trees, particularly maple (Acer) and oak (Quercus).

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