Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Saturniidae Members:	Eacles Members:	460 NC Records

Eacles imperialis (Drury, 1773) - Imperial Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Bombycoidea

Family:
Saturniidae

Subfamily:
Caratocaminae

P3 Number:
890012

MONA Number:
7704.00

Comments: One of two species in this genus occurring in the United States and the only one in our area

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1923), Ferguson (1971), Tuskes et al. (1996)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1923), Ferguson (1971), Covell (1984), Tuskes et al. (1996), Wagner (2005)

Adult Markings: The large yellow adults with pinkish- or purplish-brown spots, blotches, or lines are unmistakeable.

Wingspan: 100 mm, males, 150 mm, females (Forbes, 1923); 8 - 17.4 cm (Covell, 1984)

Adult ID Requirements: Unmistakable and widely known.

Immatures and Development: Like the two Citheronia species, the caterpillars of Eacles have paired spiky horns on their thoracic segments (reduced on the first segment in late instars), rows of small spines on their abdominal segments, and a caudal horn at the end of the abdomen. Unlike Citheronia, they are also covered with long setae and have prominent pale spots on their spiracles. Pupation occurs underground.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Occurs state-wide in North Carolina

County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.


Flight Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge
Immature Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: One flight, mainly in the summer over most parts of the state but with individuals occasionally appearing in the spring in the Coastal Plain

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Occurs in virtually every wooded habitat in the state, including residential areas.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are polyphagous, feeding on many species of hardwood trees and shrubs; also on conifers. Brimley (1938) lists the following species as used in North Carolina: Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), oak (Quercus), American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), elm (Ulmus), and pine (Pinus). Wagner (2005) additionally lists basswood (Tilia), birch (Betula), maple (Acer), Sassafras, sycamore (Platanus), and Black Walnut (Juglans nigra). In North Carolina, we have observed larvae feeding on Florida Maple (Acer floridanum), Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata), American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), Eastern Red Cedar, American Sweetgum, Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum), Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus), and Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum). - View

Observation Methods: Adults come well to 15 watt blacklights, with up to 23 being recorded in a single trap; also frequently observed at incandescent lights. Adults do not feed, so are not attracted to bait or flowers. Larvae live well up in the trees and are rarely seen. This species is easy to rear in captivity (see Tuskes et al., 1996, for details).

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Shrublands

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S5]

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments: Populations are locally vulnerable to the effects of weather, outbreaks of disease, parasites, and predators, and to the effects of pesticides. However, given the commonness of their host plants, wide habitat range and statewide distribution, this species should easily recover from most localized and temporary losses. That may not be true, however, with respect to more pervasive, permanent threats. In the Northeast, populations of this moth have been widely and perhaps permanently extirpated, probably due to parasitism by Compsilura concinnata, a Tachinid fly widely introduced to combat Gypsy Moths and other pest Lepidoptera (Schweitzer et al., 2011; Wagner, 2012). Compsilura has spread as far south as Virginia (Kellogg et al., 2003) and the situation in North Carolina needs to be monitored.

Photo Gallery for Eacles imperialis - Imperial Moth

245 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

	Recorded by: Summit School 5th Graders (and Dan Helm) on 2025-09-26 Forsyth Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2025-09-18 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2025-09-18 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2025-09-18 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-09-14 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-09-14 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-08-26 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-08-16 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-05 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-03 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-03 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Caleb Garner on 2025-08-03 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-02 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ellen Pickett on 2025-07-31 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Megan Delia Sherman on 2025-07-31 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-31 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Kit Cosper on 2025-07-28 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-07-27 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Logan Jacobs on 2025-07-24 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-07-24 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-07-24 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Hutson on 2025-07-23 Gaston Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-07-20 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Tommy Thumbs on 2025-07-16 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-07-12 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-31 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2024-09-08 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2024-09-08 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2024-09-08 Durham Co. Comment: