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Polyphemus Moth

Antheraea polyphemus

Butterfly or moth · family Saturniidae · order Lepidoptera

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
16 states[3]

The Polyphemus Moth is a moth in the family Saturniidae[4]. It is ranked Secure worldwide and in the United States, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[2][5][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Polyphemus Moth a global rank of G5, which it labels Secure[2]. Its national rank for the United States is N5, also Secure[5]. The US Fish and Wildlife Service data show it is not listed as Endangered or Threatened under the Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe also gives state ranks for all 16 states, and they differ from state to state[6].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[5] N5 (Secure)

Where Polyphemus Moth lives

NatureServe lists the Polyphemus Moth as native in 16 US states and territories[3]. They are Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming[3]. On GBIF, the states with the most observation records are Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Ohio[7]. Those counts follow how much people look and report, not how many moths live there[7].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: native, state rank SUWIVermont: native, state rank S3VTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: native, state rank S5IDMontana: native, state rank SNRMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: native, state rank SNRMNIllinois: native, state rank SNRILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: native, state rank SNRWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: native, state rank S5INOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: native, state rank S5PANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: native, state rank SUCTRhode Island: native, state rank SNRRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: native, state rank S4CONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: native, state rank SNRKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: native, state rank SNRVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: native, state rank SNRARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank SNRSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[6].
Show state ranks (16 states)
StateRankMeaning
ArkansasSNRNot Ranked
ColoradoS4Apparently Secure
ConnecticutSUUnrankable
IdahoS5Secure
IllinoisSNRNot Ranked
IndianaS5Secure
KentuckySNRNot Ranked
MinnesotaSNRNot Ranked
MontanaSNRNot Ranked
PennsylvaniaS5Secure
Rhode IslandSNRNot Ranked
South CarolinaSNRNot Ranked
VermontS3Vulnerable
VirginiaSNRNot Ranked
WisconsinSUUnrankable
WyomingSNRNot Ranked

Diet

The caterpillars eat the leaves of many kinds of trees and shrubs, including oak, willow, maple and birch[8]. Adult moths do not feed at all[8][9].

Trait Value
Food habits[9] Nonfeeding

When to look for it

On GBIF, most United States records of the Polyphemus Moth fall in June, July and August[10]. Records are lowest in the winter months[10]. These records show when people look and report, not how many moths there are[10].

January: 682 recordsJanFebruary: 1,221 recordsFebMarch: 3,022 recordsMarApril: 3,211 recordsAprMay: 5,154 recordsMayJune: 7,238 recordsJunJuly: 8,119 recordsJulAugust: 7,693 recordsAugSeptember: 5,635 recordsSepOctober: 2,548 recordsOctNovember: 1,126 recordsNovDecember: 588 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[10].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January682
February1,221
March3,022
April3,211
May5,154
June7,238
July8,119
August7,693
September5,635
October2,548
November1,126
December588

Where to see it

States with the most GBIF observation records: Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio[7]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Polyphemus Moth endangered?
No. It is not listed as Endangered or Threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it Secure worldwide and in the United States[2][5].
Where does the Polyphemus Moth live?
NatureServe lists it as native in 16 US states and territories, from Vermont and Virginia to Idaho and Wyoming[3]. GBIF has the most records from Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Ohio[7].
What does the Polyphemus Moth eat?
The caterpillars eat the leaves of trees and shrubs such as oak, willow, maple and birch[8]. Adult moths do not feed[9].
When can you see a Polyphemus Moth?
Most GBIF records in the United States fall in June, July and August[10]. Records show when people report the moth, not how many exist[10].

Facts and sources

  1. Polyphemus Moth is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Polyphemus Moth: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Polyphemus Moth as native in 16 US states and territories: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus) is a butterfly or moth in the family Saturniidae, order Lepidoptera. NatureServe Explorer
  5. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe state ranks for Polyphemus Moth (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  7. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Polyphemus Moth: Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  8. NatureServe notes on food for Polyphemus Moth. NatureServe Explorer
  9. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Nonfeeding. NatureServe Explorer
  10. GBIF observation records of Polyphemus Moth in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.