Cecropia Moth

giant moths · North America · incredible insects

Massive moth wings. The cecropia moth's wingspan can stretch to seven inches or even bigger, making it North America's largest native moth. That's about as wide as your hand from thumb to pinky.

Maple tree homes. Baby cecropia moths, called larvae, love munching on maple tree leaves. They also snack on cherry and birch trees, making forests their favorite buffet.

Eastern North America range. You can find cecropia moths across the eastern half of North America and up into Canada. A few brave ones even live way out west in Washington state.

Giant silk moth family. The cecropia moth belongs to the Saturniidae family, also called giant silk moths. These are some of the biggest and most spectacular moths on the planet.

Named by Linnaeus. A scientist named Carl Linnaeus first described the cecropia moth way back in 1758. He was one of the most important scientists for naming and organizing animals.