Invertebrates
Polyphemus Moth
Antheraea polyphemus · also called Polyphemus moths
A bird lands on a branch beside what looks like an ordinary resting moth, and in an instant the moth flares its hindwings to reveal two enormous eyespots, a startling flash convincing enough to send the bird flying before it ever gets a real look at its target.
Overview
The Polyphemus moth, Antheraea polyphemus, is one of the largest native moths in North America, found across deciduous forest and woodland habitat throughout a broad range of the continent. Its dramatic hidden eyespot display and complete inability to feed as an adult make it one of the more visually striking and biologically compressed insect life cycles in North America.
A life that ends the moment it truly begins
After weeks spent growing as a caterpillar, the adult Polyphemus moth emerges with no mouth capable of feeding at all, compressing its entire adult existence into roughly a week spent purely on finding a mate before its stored energy runs out for good.
Status
Least Concern — widespread across suitable deciduous forest habitat throughout North America.
Polyphemus Moth: common questions
Why does the Polyphemus moth have such large eyespots?
A Polyphemus moth normally keeps its large hindwing eyespots hidden beneath its forewings, but suddenly reveals them when disturbed, a startle display that can briefly frighten or confuse an approaching bird, buying the moth a crucial extra moment to escape.
Why is it called the Polyphemus moth?
The Polyphemus moth takes its name from Polyphemus, the one-eyed Cyclops of Greek mythology, a reference to the single large, prominent eyespot found on each of the moth's hindwings.
Do adult Polyphemus moths eat anything?
No, an adult Polyphemus moth has no functional mouthparts and cannot feed at all, instead surviving for about a week purely on fat reserves built up during its caterpillar stage, using that limited time solely to find a mate and reproduce before dying.
How big can a Polyphemus moth get?
The Polyphemus moth ranks among the largest native moth species in North America, with a wingspan that can exceed 15 centimetres, making it one of the more visually striking large moths anyone is likely to encounter on the continent.