Polyphemus Moth

Information about the Polyphemus Moth:

The Polyphemus Moth is a is a North American member of the family Saturniidae, the giant silk moths. It has an average wingspan of about 6 inches (15 cm). The most notable feature of the moth is its large, purplish eyespots on its two hindwings. The eye spots are where it gets its name – from the Greek myth of the Cyclops Polyphemus. The species is widespread in continental North America, with local populations found throughout subarctic Canada and the United States. Differentiating between sexes of this species is easy. The most obvious difference is the plumose antennae. Males will have very bushy antennae while females will have moderately less bushy antennae. The male's bushy antennae are used to detect pheromones released by unmated females. Another difference is that the females will be slightly larger in the abdomen due to carrying eggs. There is a surprising amount of variation within this species. Color patterns can range from a reddish-cinnamon to a dark brown but are almost always a shade of brown. The poster is printed on matte, museum-quality paper with Giclée printing quality: • Paper thickness: 10.3 mil • Paper weight: 5.6 oz/y² (192 g/m²) • Opacity: 94% Buy a Digital Download