The Largest Moth In North America: Strikingly Beautiful Cecropia Moth

The cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia Linnaeus) is among the most spectacular of the North American Lepidoptera. It is a member of the Saturniidae, a family of moths prized by collectors and nature lovers alike for their large size and extremely showy appearance.

Butterfly and moth collecting is a hobby that many people enjoy, and the cecropia moth is the "jewel" of many collections. Many more people take just as much pleasure out of spying a live moth resting on a backyard tree. This is one of the giant silkworm moths that may be declining in parts of its range because of parasitism of a tachnid fly that was introduced to battle the invasive, destructive, nonnative gypsy moth.