Callosamia angulifera female, Brevard, Transylvania County, North Carolina,
early August courtesy of Hannah Fitzpatrick via Rachel Fitzpatrick.
Actual ranges may, in many cases, be more expansive than noted. There are some species indicated that may now be extirpated.
Clicking on a scientific name will take you to a file with pictures and/or information.
Callosamia angulifera female, Brevard, Transylvania County, North Carolina,
early August courtesy of Hannah Fitzpatrick via Rachel Fitzpatrick.
Non-member Fiona Dudley, July 2004, writes, "I am located in Buncombe County of North Carolina
(in the Appalachians). I am located deep in a Beech/Oak/Maple forest
at about 2400 ft elevation. Have lived here 7 years and every year
can reliably see polyphemus, luna, imperial (Eacles imperialis),
Regal (Citheronia regalis), io (Automeris io), promethea
(Callosamia promethea), and cecropia, just a
few of the more noticeable ones out of the vast hordes of moths I get,
all of which interest me. I am quite sure I am now raising a third
brood of polyphemus, as I first began to see adults in late May/early
June, then the female that laid her eggs here early July. I'm also
sure I've seen two broods of luna so far. It never occurred to me to
try raising them, I just like to look at them, but when the female
polyphemus started laying eggs on my glass door I knew they'd be
doomed there, so trapped her overnight
(released next day), got 50 eggs most of which hatched beginning
9 days after laying, the rest by end of 10th day (July 14th).
"Dryocampa rubicunda and Anisota stigma also are here."
Amanda Singleton (Iredell County) reports Antheraea polyphemus with an image of larva that spun a cocoon on July 8, 2003.
Jon and Avery Wells report an Actias luna larva find with subsequent cocoon on October 15, 2003 in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County.
Peggy McLeod encountered a rosy maple, Dryocampa rubicunda, May 17, 2004, in a school parking lot in Kernersville, North Carolina. Forsyth County.
Lonnie Huffman sent images of wild cecropia pairing, May 26, 2010 in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County.
Hyalophora cecropia pair, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina,
May 26, 2010, courtesy of Lonnie Huffman.
Jeff Marcus writes: "I personally have collected
(during the period from 1997-2002) the following species (not previously on map):
Durham County: Citheronia regalis, Callosamia angulifera,
Hyalophora cecropia, Actias luna, Antheraea polyphemus
Orange County: Anisota virginiensis
Wake County: Actias luna
I can also confirm the presence of the following which are shown on
your map:
Durham County: Eacles imperialis, Automeris io
Wake County: Callosamia angulifera, Hyalophora cecropia,
Antheraea polyphemus
Finally, I have reason to doubt the report of Callosamia promethea
in Wake County. I have never been able to find it there (or in
Durham or Orange Counties either). A friend of mine, Jesse Perry
(who works at the NC Museum of Natural Science in Raleigh, and who
knows what he's doing), has tried for 10 years or so to find
individuals of Callosamia promethea in
Wake County both by blacklighting and by setting out calling females
of Callosamia promethea (from elsewhere) or
Callosamia angulifera (caught locally) and has never been able
to find any. I can only suggest that either the report is incorrect
(perhaps a misidentification of another Callosamia species) or
that a population once was present but now is extinct.
Chris Suich of Apex, (Wake County near Raleigh) confirms Eacles imperialis with beautiful image of larva, September 5, 2003.
Eacles imperialis, North Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina,
September 8, 2012, courtesy of Rosa Chrismon.
I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
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