Ailanthus silkmoth

Samia cynthia is an East Asian saturniid silk moth. It is distinct from the domesticated eri silkmoth, Samia ricini, whose biology has sometimes appeared under older cynthia combinations. [1][2]

The wings are olive-brown to brown with broad pinkish bands. Each wing has a large, golden-edged translucent crescent. White tufts ornament the abdomen. [1][3]

The moth was introduced from China to the eastern United States for silk production. North American records are scattered along the Atlantic seaboard and inland; urban and suburban populations occupy places where tree-of-heaven grows. [1]

Young caterpillars feed in close groups, whereas older larvae become solitary. The greyish cocoon is secured to a leaf’s petiole. In northern New Jersey, Hansen found cocoons in railway-side Ailanthus stands, attached by silk reinforced around the petiole and stem; some lay in the litter below. [1][3]

Larvae feed on Ailanthus altissima, the tree-of-heaven. Adults do not feed. [1]

Drury named cynthia in 1773 in the genus Phalaena. The name Philosamia cynthia also occurs in historical literature. [2]