Polyphemus Moth Cocoon Hatching Kit (Antheraea polyphemus) – York Insectarium

Reared by York Insectarium and sold through Canada Ant Colony.

Meet the moth with eyes on its wings.

The polyphemus moth is one of North America’s largest silk moths, with a wingspan of 10–15 cm. Its soft tan and brown wings are lined with pink and white bands. Each hindwing has a huge eyespot ringed in yellow, blue and black. The moth is named after Polyphemus, the one-eyed giant of Greek myth. When it’s disturbed, it flashes these “eyes” to startle predators. Small clear “windows” in the forewings let light shine through.

Each kit holds a live pupa resting through the winter inside a tough, oval silk cocoon, often still wrapped in the leaf the caterpillar spun it in. In spring, the moth softens one end of the cocoon and pushes its way out. Then it slowly unfolds its wings, which can take a few hours.

Choose your kit

• Cocoons Only: Live polyphemus cocoons with a care sheet. Best if you already have a mesh enclosure.
• Cocoons + Rearing Cage: Everything you need. Comes with a 12" x 12" x 12" breathable mesh cage that gives this big moth room to climb and spread its wings safely.

Both come in 1 cocoon, 3 cocoons or 5 cocoons. The 3-pack and 5 pack gives you a better chance of getting both a male and a female. Males have broad, feathery antennae, and females have thinner ones and plumper bodies.

What’s included

• 1 or 3 or 5 live polyphemus moth cocoons
• Step-by-step care sheet
• Mesh rearing cage (Cage version only)

How it works

1. Keep it cool. Until spring, store the cocoons somewhere cold, like an unheated garage or a fridge, in a container that lets air in. This mimics winter.
2. Wake it up. In spring, move the cocoons to room temperature in the cage and mist them lightly every few days.
3. Watch for emergence. Moths usually come out a few weeks after warming, often in the late afternoon or evening. Give the moth a stick or the cage wall to climb so its wings can hang down and expand.
4. Enjoy and release. Adult polyphemus moths have no working mouthparts and don’t eat. Enjoy them for a day or two, then release them outdoors at dusk. Only release them within the species’ native range, which covers most of southern Canada and the US.

Good to know

• Available October - May
• Ships Canada Only
• A great project for classrooms, homeschoolers and nature lovers of all ages.

Images courtesy of Christopher Harasta, Christine123, and Trevor Van Loon