Columbia Silk Moth

Hyalophora columbia

''Hyalophora columbia'', the Columbia silkmoth or larch silkmoth, is a moth of the family Saturniidae. In the east it is found from Quebec and Ontario to Michigan, northern Wisconsin, and south-eastern Manitoba. In the west it is found from Alberta and Montana south through the Rocky Mountains to south-western Texas and into central Mexico.
Hyalophora columbia (Columbia Silk Moth) Geotagged,Hyalophora columbia,Lepidoptera,Moth Week 2021,Saturnidae,Spring,United States,giant silk moth,insect,moth

Appearance

The wingspan is 80–100 mm. Adults are on wing from May to July. There is one generation per year.
Hyalophora columbia (Columbia Silkmoth) I have found several cocoons here belonging to this genus but none were viable. This is the first time I've seen this moth at my place or any place for that matter. Geotagged,Giant Silk Moth,Hyalophora columbia,Lepidoptera,Moth Week 2021,Saturniidae,Spring,United States

Naming

The species was first described by Sidney Irving Smith in 1865.

⤷ ''Hyalophora columbia columbia''
⤷ ''Hyalophora columbia gloveri'' - also considered a separate species as ''Hyalophora gloveri''

Food

The larvae feed on ''Larix laricina'' in the eastern part of their range. Furthermore, it has been recorded on in ''Prunus pensylvanica'', ''Alnus rugosa'' and ''Betula papyrifera'' in western Ontario. In the west they feed on ''Prunus demissa'', ''Prunus emarginata'', ''Purshia tridentata'', ''Rosa'', ''Salix'', ''Shepherdia argentea'', ''Eleagnus angustifolius'' and ''Ceanothus''.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderLepidoptera
FamilySaturniidae
GenusHyalophora
SpeciesH. columbia
Photographed in
United States of America