Species · GBIF taxon 1867820
Emperor Moth
Saturnia pavoniaAlso known as Small Emperor Moth, Emperor
Emperor moths display striking sexual dimorphism, with orange-hindwinged males flying rapidly during the day in search of the larger, grey-winged females that fly only at night. Both sexes feature prominent, concentric eyespots on each wing to startle potential predators. The caterpillars are equally distinctive, starting black and maturing into bright green with pink or yellow warts.
PalearcticEyespotsSilk Moth
Licensed referenceLukas Jonaitis from Vilnius, Lithuania / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Heather
- Bramble
- Sallow
Predators
- Birds
- Bats
- Spiders
ThreatsHabitat loss, overgrazing of heathlands, and light pollution affecting nocturnal females.
HabitatsHeathlands, moorlands, bogs, and open woodland rides.
Life span1 year (adults live only 1 to 2 weeks).
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilySaturniidae
- SpeciesSaturnia pavonia
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Pheromone Lures: Use synthetic female pheromone lures in the morning to attract wild males.
- Spotting Caterpillars: Search heather and bramble stems in mid-summer for the bright green caterpillars.
- Night Detection: Look for the larger, grey females resting on vegetation or near light sources after dark.
Frequent Companion 
Close Relative Velela / Public domain · cc0Close Relative
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