Samia cynthia, the ailanthus silkmoth, is a saturniid moth, used to produce silk fabric but not as domesticated as the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The moth has very large wings of 113–125 mm (4.4–4.9 in), with a quarter-moon shaped spot on both the upper and lower wings, whitish and yellow stripes and brown background. There are eyespots on the outer forewings. The species was first described by Dru Drury in 1773.
Image: Samia cynthia adult male sjh
Image: Samia cynthia adult female sjh
Eri silk fiber
Eri silk clothes
Saturniidae, members of which are commonly named the saturniids, is a family of Lepidoptera with an estimated 2,300 described species. The family contains some of the largest species of moths in the world. Notable members include the emperor moths, royal moths, and giant silk moths.
Saturniidae
Marbled emperor moth (Heniocha dyops) in Botswana
Life stages of giant emperor moth (Saturnia pyri)
Clutch of emperor gum moth (Opodiphthera eucalypti) eggs