Polilla imperial
Eacles imperialis
Polilla
Gran polilla sedosa amarilla y púrpura (Saturniidae) cuyas larvas se alimentan de Acer (arce), Quercus (roble), Pinus, Sassafras y una amplia variedad de otras plantas leñosas caducifolias y perennifolias. Las orugas pueden alcanzar 4 inches y se alimentan solitarias en el borde del dosel. La envergadura alar de la polilla adulta es de 3-7 inches; los adultos no se alimentan. Las poblaciones han disminuido notablemente en el este de los Estados Unidos debido a una combinación de contaminación lumínica (que interrumpe el apareamiento), fragmentación del hábitat y presión de moscas taquínidas parasitoides introducidas.
Conservación
Sin clasificación formal de la IUCN, pero en declive a lo largo del rango oriental según múltiples observaciones a nivel estatal; plantar árboles de dosel nativos (especialmente robles) y reducir la iluminación exterior son las acciones de conservación recomendadas.
Plants in the catalog
Plantas hospedantes de larvas · 15
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center documents black walnut as a larval host for large silk moths (Saturniidae), naming the luna and regal moths; the imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) is a closely related polyphagous Saturniid that also uses walnut, mapped here as the nearest catalogued silk-moth host.
Oaks (Quercus spp.) are among the commonly reported larval hosts of the polyphagous imperial moth (Eacles imperialis), per Butterflies and Moths of North America; host use is regional, so this is recorded as plausible rather than a documented bur-oak-specific record.
Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae feed on Quercus canopy through summer alongside multiple hairstreak (Banded, Edward's, Gray, White-M per NC State) and duskywing (Horace's, Juvenal's) species. Oak canopy is the foundational eastern hardwood Lep habitat.
Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae feed on Carya foliage; hickories are among Tallamy's keystone Lepidoptera-host genera.
Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae feed on oak foliage alongside numerous hairstreaks and duskywings that also use Quercus. Oak canopy is the foundational eastern-hardwood host habitat for native Lepidoptera.
NC State: "Members of the genus Acer support Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south."
NC State documents sassafras among the imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) larval hosts alongside maples, oaks, and pines.
Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae feed on oak foliage through summer; oaks are among the foundational larval hosts of the eastern hardwood Lepidoptera community.
Carya hosts imperial moth + multiple hairstreak + duskywing species — among Tallamy's keystone genera with hundreds of supported Lepidoptera.
Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae feed on oak foliage among the many hairstreak and duskywing species oak canopy hosts; oak is one of the most important larval-host genera in eastern North America.
Like all oaks, live oak hosts imperial moth + multiple hairstreak + duskywing species.
NC State: "Members of the genus Acer support Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south."
Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae feed on Quercus canopy through summer; one of the giant silk moths declining across the eastern range due to light pollution. Planting oaks is the canonical conservation action.
Distribución
Este y centro de América del Norte, desde el sur de Ontario hasta Florida; una sola generación por año en el sur (abril-octubre), con las poblaciones del norte produciendo un vuelo a finales del verano.