Puneet Varma (Editor)

Sweetbay silkmoth

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Class
  
Insecta

Family
  
Saturniidae

Rank
  
Species

Phylum
  
Arthropoda

Order
  
Lepidoptera

Genus
  
Callosamia

Sweetbay silkmoth Sweetbay Silk Moth What39s That Bug

Similar
  
Callosamia, Callosamia angulifera, Callosamia promethea, Hyalophora columbia, Hyalophora euryalus

Awesome caterpillars of sweetbay silkmoth callosamia securifera noisily chomping away


The sweetbay silkmoth (Callosamia securifera) is a saturniid in the genus Callosamia. It was named after the host tree, Magnolia virginiana.

Sweetbay silkmoth Sweetbay Silk Moth What39s That Bug

Males have dark maroonish wings, while the females have brownish pinkish wings. The southern phases are more orange-yellow colored, brighter, and more pale. All phases have a "7" mark on their wings with the eye spots, lavender patches, and buff-patterned borders.

Sweetbay silkmoth Sweetbay Silk Moth What39s That Bug

These moths are diurnal and their mating period is in the afternoon. Their lifespan is about two weeks, long enough to mate and lay eggs. Like other moths in the genus, Callosamia, the caterpillar spins a hanging cocoon that has leaves attached to it.

Sweetbay silkmoth Sweetbay Silkmoth Callosamia securifera BugGuideNet
Sweetbay silkmoth Barbara Woodmansee Moths Sweetbay Silkmoth on Cocoon

Sweetbay silkmoth Sweetbay Silkmoth Callosamia securifera BugGuideNet



References

Sweetbay silkmoth Wikipedia