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Species Detail
Ailanthus silkmoth
Samia cynthia (Drury, 1773)
Attributes of Samia cynthiaFamily: Wild Silk Moths (Saturniidae) Subfamily: Giant Silkworm Moths (Saturniinae) Identification: Wings are olive brown to brown with wide pinkish median bands. Each wing has a large crescent-shaped transparent spot edged with gold. Life history: Adults fly during the day. In the evening, females lay eggs on the host plant in rows of 10-20. The eggs hatch in 2-3 weeks and the young caterpillars feed in tight groups. Older caterpillars are solitary feeders. The grayish cocoons are attached to the main petiole of a leaf, and may drop to the ground if the main petiole falls off in autumn. Flight: One brood from June-July. Wing span: 4 1/8 - 5 1/2 inches (10.5 - 14 cm). Caterpillar hosts: The introduced Chinese tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima). Adult food: Adults do not feed. Habitat: Cities and suburbs where Ailanthus grows. Range: The Ailanthus silkmoth was introduced from China in the late 1800s in an attempt to establish a silk industry in the eastern United States. Its current distribution is spotty along the Atlantic coast from Connecticut to Georgia and west to northern Kentucky. Conservation: Not usually required. NatureServe Global Status: TX - Presumed extinct. Management needs: None reported. | Documented Records for Samia cynthia
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