The squeaking silkmoth is a large East Asian silkmoth with a clear, window-like spot on each wing. It isn't found in the US. Its name comes from its caterpillar, which squeaks when disturbed by pushing air out through its breathing holes.
Appearance
- Appearance
- Wingspan is about 3–4.3 in (75–110 mm), and females are larger than males. Each wing has a see-through eyespot. Females are always yellow; males range from yellow-orange to dark brown and are always darker, with narrower forewings.
- Voice
- Older caterpillars squeak when bothered, a defense against predators.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Forests
- Forest edges
- Range
- Native to Korea, Japan, China, and the Russian Far East. It is not found in the wild in the US.
Behavior
- Activity
- In Japan, adults appear in October and November. They have no working mouthparts, so they don't eat and live only long enough to find a mate.
- Overwintering
- Eggs spend the winter in a resting state and hatch in April as new leaves open. Caterpillars spin cocoons in early summer, and there is one generation a year.
Life cycle
- Larva
- Caterpillars feed on many kinds of trees, including oaks, maples, zelkovas, and willows.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
Culture and stories
- Culture and stories
- The bright green cocoon hangs from a branch on a silk stalk. In Japan, empty cocoons on bare winter branches are likened to paper lanterns, and the moth's Japanese name comes from that image.
- The cocoon silk is a kind of wild silk, and the cocoons were once used in Japanese folk medicine.
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