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Polyphemus Moth (cocoon)

Antheraea polyphemus

Photo by Mandy Hollman
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

When I checked on my caterpillar friend this morning, I found it completely enclosed in the cocoon it had started last night. It used a leaf and a paper bag, in addition to its own silk. In a couple of days, the cocoon will darken to brown and become opaque.

Habitat:

Found on a big oak tree at Emory. Currently living in an enclosure I prepared for it, so I can watch its metamorphosis.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (12)
Mandy Hollman
Update: This afternoon, the moth emerged! It's a beautiful male. He's still resting, but tonight he will be ready to fly :) Photos of him soon!
Mandy Hollman
Thanks for the link, Gilma :) Now I'm expecting this moth to emerge in a couple weeks or so, instead of having to wait for it all winter.
Gilma Jeannette Ospino Ferreira-Norman
I found something very interesting you might like to read at: http://www.wormspit.com/polyphemus.htm. "If the cocoons are spun early enough in the summer, the moths will hatch out in about two weeks. If they are spun closer to winter, they will go into diapause, a period of rest much like hibernation, and emerge in the spring. Here in Texas, I'm expecting to see at least a second, if not a third, flight."
Gilma Jeannette Ospino Ferreira-Norman
This.. I will not miss..... We are in September and it looks by what you said that it will come out by Spring? (USA) That is a long way away!! Thank you so much for sharing, Mandy Hollman. For me this is what makes PN, GREAT!!
Mandy Hollman
Today I heard lots of scuffling inside the cocoon, and when I held it I felt the caterpillar/moth moving around inside. I had hoped it was about to emerge, but not so. (It's been less than a week since it cocooned, so that would have been way too early.) Now I think it was the prepupa shedding its skin to enter the pupa phase. Does that seem correct?
Mandy Hollman
Thanks, Jakubko. I hope you're right! The weather has been warm-hot, rarely with a high below 80. It's still summery here. We're only now getting a hint that fall is coming (highs still in upper 70s to lower 80s, lows occasionally down to upper 50s).
Jacob Gorneau
I think it will probably not go into diapause then. What about the outside temperatures?
Mandy Hollman
Almost exactly twelve hours a day, based on the sunrise-sunset times. What do you think it will do?
Jacob Gorneau
Mandy, how much light was the moth exposed to in its last few days as a larva?
Mandy Hollman
Can anyone tell me whether this moth is likely to eclose in a couple weeks or to enter diapause until spring??? I'm in northern Georgia, so I guess they have two broods per year here and this is from the second. Does that mean this beauty won't wake up till March or April?
Mandy Hollman
Thanks! I've never raised caterpillars before, and I'm amazed by their cocoon-making skills :)
suzmonk
Nice follow-up, Mandy Hollman!

Spotted for Missions

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Nests, hives, bowers, webs & other animal architecture
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Moths of the World
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Butterflies and Moths of Southeast USA
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Caterpillars of the Southeastern USA
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Arthropods of Georgia
Photographed
PublishedSeptember 25, 2013

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