Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Iris eyed silkmoth
Automeris iris (Walker, 1865)


Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Hemileucinae
Identification: Upperside of forewing is gray-brown with a pink tint and a darker wing base. Brown median line is distinct. Upperside of hindwing is orange with a gray-brown margin and a large eyespot circled in gray and black.
Wing Span: 2 7/8 - 3 1/2 inches (7.4 - 9 cm).
Life History: Females deposit eggs in groups of 6-40. Young caterpillars feed together. Some caterpillars in captivity spun cocoons in leaf litter, but some pupated in the litter without spinning a cocoon.
Flight: One brood from mid-July to early August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Oaks (Quercus).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Oak woodlands in low mountains.
Range: Southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, south into Mexico.
Conservation: Populations should be inventoried and monitored.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL