Look what I found this week in my backyard! I had to look it up to see exactly what it was. Let me share with you what I’ve found out. This old beauty is a Cecropia Silk Moth from the giant silk moth family. They can be found all across North America. This one was found on my crab apple tree while I was pruning some branches. According to the National Wildlife Federation, a Cecropia Giant Silk Moth will eat pear, apple, cherry, and several other fruit trees, and also willow. In other words, it was right at home in our crab apple tree.
We wanted to know everything about our new friend. Based on the tubercles, the color of his body being a bright green with colorful orange, yellow, and blue horns, we can conclude he is in his last caterpillar stage.
This guy looks like he is about ready to spin his cocoon and to prepare for the long winter. In the Spring he’ll become a beautiful moth. Moths aren’t the most loved bugs however, they do pollinate flowers which we love.
Also, from the National Wildlife Association: When the caterpillars hatch, they are black in color. As they go through successive molts, they increase in size and change color from black to yellow to green. With a wingspan of five to seven inches (13 to 18 centimeters), the Cecropia Giant Silk Moth is the largest moth found in North America.
I hope you enjoyed our backyard adventure.
