Polyphemus Moth appears at peak midsummer emergence

July 29, 2026Lansing Loamy Plain

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(Antheraea polyphemus) emerged near Clarksville this month — a single sighting on July 9th, right at the peak of the species' fleeting adult flight window. These are among the largest silk moths in North America, with a wingspan of up to about 5.5 inches (14 cm), and are named for the Cyclops of Greek myth, their hindwings marked with pale eyespots that mimic the mythical creature's gaze.

Adults emerge mouthless and live only a few days — a brief, frantic window for mating before they vanish. The real work of the species happens in the long caterpillar stage, which spends the summer feeding on oak, maple, birch, and cherry leaves. In midsummer, when the big silk moths are at the peak of their brief season, a single sighting like this one is worth pausing for.

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