Cecropia Moth

The Cecropia Moth is the biggest moth that is native to North America.  This moth is found throughout North America and in Canada.

What Does the Cecropia Moth Look Like?

The Cecropia Moth is very large with a wingspan even up to 7 inches long.

The Cecropia Moth has brown wings that are red near the edges.

They also have spots on their wings that are moon shaped and they have white centers.  On the hindwings, the spots are bigger.

The moth has a body that is hairy and their underside is lighter red and the abdomen is red and white.

The Cecropia Moth caterpillar is green with black spines on it.  It also has an orange or red abdomen.

What is the Lifecycle of the Cecropia Moth?  

 

The Cecropia Moth starts as an egg that are found on both sides of the leaves that the female moth chooses.

The eggs will be in small groups.  Usually, five of the eggs will hatch and they will become caterpillars or larvae.

The caterpillar will make a pupae which is a silk cocoon and then when it is time, the caterpillar will come out of the cocoon and will be an adult butterfly.

Where Does the Cecropia Moth Live?

The Cecropia Moth lives throughout North America and Canada.  Most of the Cecropia Moth are found in maple trees but others have been found in birth and cherry trees.

The Cecropia Moth likes to live in areas that are grassy or in forests.  They are attracted to lights that are in cities.

Finding a Mate

The male Cecropia Moth can smell a female up to one mile away.  The male will fly even 7 miles to find a mate.

The female Cecropia Moth can lay up to 100 eggs at one time and the eggs will be red or brown looking.

Interesting Thing About the Cecropia Moth

The Cecropia Moth only will live up to 2 weeks because they do not have a working mouth or digestive system, because of this, they only eat while they are caterpillars.

As caterpillars, they eat shrubs, sugar maple, while cherries, plumbs, birch and willow leaves.

When is the Cecropia Moth Active?

The Cecropia Moth is usually the most active between March and July.

Are the Cecropia Moth Endangered?  

The Cecropia Moth are not endangered but they have declined because of pesticides, diseases, the loss of their habitat and being eaten by predators.

Cecropia Moth Facts for Kids

• Carl Linnaeus was the first one to describe the Cecropia Moth.
• He Cecropia Moth is also considered a silk moth.
• The Cecropia Moth is nocturnal which means it is most active during the night time.
• This is the largest moth found in North America.
• Bolas spiders make the same smell that the female Cecropia Moth makes to attract the male moth and then they capture and eat it.

What Did You Learn?

• What is the Cecropia Moth?
  The Cecropia Moth is a moth that is found in North America and in Canada.
• What is interesting about the Cecropia Moth?
  The Cecropia Moth does not have a working mouth or tongue and it also does not have a digestive system.  Because of this, the Cecropia Moth does not feed once it becomes a butterfly.
• How big is the Cecropia Moth?
  The Cecropia Moth is the largest moth that is native to North America.  It can get up to 7 inches long.
• Where does the Cecropia Moth live?
  The Cecropia Moth lives in North America and Canada and is found in forests and grassy areas.
• How many eggs does the Cecropia Moth lay at one time?
  The Cecropia Moth can lay up to 100 eggs at one time.

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