This week we have an Imperial Moth, or Eacles imperialis. It is a member of the saturniidae, or silk moth, family, and one of the largest and most beautiful moths in our region. The wingspan can reach up to 5.5 inches for the female, with the males topping out at about 5 inches.

Imperial Moths are on the wing starting in mid-July and going through mid to late August. They differ from most moths in that they will almost never attach themselves to the light sheet, preferring instead to come to rest on the underside of plant leaves near to the light. Imperial Moths tend to be one of the more common silk moths that we encounter.