Small Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia)

OTHER NAMES: Emperor Moth
Latin Etymology: Saturnia (for Saturn) pavonia (?)

Adult male Small Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia) at Geddington, Northants, UK - April 2022

Featured Subspecies: 
Weight: ?  /  Length: ?  /  Wingspan: 6-8cm
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED/ IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

In the UK, this species is more generally known as the "emperor moth" as it is the sole representative of its family found here. They have a wide range of food plants, some notable examples in the UK including alder, birch, heather, hawthorn, beech, starberry, ash, walnut, oak and assorted fruit trees. They are sexually dimorphic, with the female having a greyer colour scheme.

Related Species:
Order:  Lepidoptera
Family: Saturniidae
Genus: Saturnia
SUBSPECIES: S. p. homophora, S. p. lapp,archica, S. p. postrosacea

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Widely distributed
 - Seen at Geddington

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Papilio ("butterfly") glaucus ("glaucous")

Adult male Eastern Tiger Swallotail (Papilio glaucus) at Minnesota, USA - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: ?
Wingspan: 7.9-14cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A large and impressive member of the Swallowtails that is endemic to the USA, their host plants are usually trees including ash, cottonwood, magnolia and willows and is considered the most diverse feeding of the entire swallowtail family. As catepillars, they begin their life resembling bird droppings to deter avian predators, and also possesses the ability to expel foul smelling chemicals called terpenes.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Papilio
SUBSPECIES: ?

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Resident in the Eastern USA
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen in Minnesota and Illinois

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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