Small emperor moth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Small emperor moth |
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The Small Emperor Moth (scientific name: Saturnia pavonia) is a beautiful and interesting type of moth found across a huge area, including Europe and Asia. It belongs to the Saturniidae family, which are known for their large size and often colorful wings. In the British Isles, it's simply called the "Emperor Moth." This moth was first described by a famous scientist named Carl Linnaeus way back in 1758.
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The Amazing Small Emperor Moth
The Small Emperor Moth is quite striking! You can easily tell the males and females apart because they look different.
What Does It Look Like?
Male and Female Differences
The male moths are smaller, with a wingspan of about 60 millimeters (about 2.4 inches). Their front wings are a mix of brown and white, decorated with red and orange stripes. They also have a very clear black and orange "eyespot" on each wing, which looks a bit like an eye. Their back wings are bright orange, also with a similar eyespot.
Female moths are larger, with a wingspan of about 80 millimeters (about 3.1 inches). They are generally less colorful than the males, mostly grey and white. However, they also have those cool eyespots on all their wings, just like the males.
Where Do They Live?
Male Small Emperor Moths are very active during the day, especially from mid-April to late June. They fly quickly, searching for females. The females are usually slower and prefer to fly at night. These moths can live in many different places, but they are most often found in open, wild areas like heathland and moorland, which are lands with low-growing plants like heather.
The Life Cycle of the Emperor Moth
Like all moths, the Small Emperor Moth goes through several stages in its life.
From Egg to Caterpillar
When they first hatch, the caterpillars are black and orange. As they grow, they change color, becoming green with black rings and yellow and red spots.
Favorite Foods
The most common food plant for these caterpillars is heather. But they are not picky eaters! They have been seen munching on many other types of plants too. After eating and growing, the caterpillar turns into a pupa. It spends the winter inside a strong, silky cocoon, waiting for spring to emerge as an adult moth.
Different Types of Small Emperor Moths
There are a couple of recognized types, or subspecies, of the Small Emperor Moth:
- Saturnia pavonia pavonia (found in southern Spain and possibly Morocco)
- Saturnia pavonia josephinae (Schawerda, [1924]) (also found in southern Spain and possibly Morocco)
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Caterpillars and eggs
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Younger caterpillar
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Caterpillar (top view)
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Older caterpillar and the start of pupation
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Both sides of male specimen
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Both sides of female specimen
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What Do Caterpillars Eat?
Small Emperor Moth caterpillars are quite adaptable when it comes to food. While heather is a favorite, they have been recorded eating leaves from a wide variety of plants, including:
