21 May 2004

The imperial moth

Allen E. Rhodes

Allen E. Rhodes is a retired U.S. Army colonel who lives in Seguin, Texas. Allen enjoys birding and photography. He made this photograph of an imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) on a warm afternoon shortly after it emerged from its cocoon. The specimen shown here is female. Males are smaller and less yellow than females. The larva feeds on leaves of various trees, including oak, pine, maple, sycamore and sassafras.