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Photo: G. Bradley |
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UK
Safari Tip:
Need help identifying moths? Try this beautifully illustrated fold out ID chart -
click
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See larger image
Latin name: Saturnia pavonia
Size: Wingspan approximately 80mm.
Distribution: Found throughout the UK.
Months seen: April to June.
Habitat: Heathland and moorland.
Food: Caterpillars feed on heather, bramble and hawthorn.
Special features: The Emperor moth is a large moth with four distinctive
eye markings - one on each wing.
The male emperor flies by day and the female flies by night. The male is able to
detect the pheromones (insect hormones) of a female from several hundred metres
with his feathery antennae.
 The caterpillars, seen from June to August, are black and hairy when newly
hatched. As they grow they change to green with yellow, pink or orange spots.
Each spot has short black hairs growing out of it.
The caterpillars spend the winter in their pear-shaped silk cocoon, and emerge
in April or May. The Emperor moth is the only UK member of the silk-moth family.
UK Safari Moth Section
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