How to identify a Regal Moth
The adult Regal Moth is a heavyweight, with a wingspan of roughly 4 to 6 inches. The forewings are gray to slate, veined and edged in burnt orange, and dotted with cream-yellow spots; the hindwings flush orange with yellow markings. The body is thick and orange-banded. It has no tails and no eyespots, and its slow, heavy flight and large size make it stand out at a light sheet. Females are bulky and broad-winged; males are a touch smaller and slimmer.
Where it lives
The Regal Moth is a southeastern and mid-Atlantic species of hardwood forests. Open records place it most often in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, tied closely to the range of hickory, walnut, and related host trees. It is less common and more local than its cousins, so a single sighting is always a treat. Browse what else is flying in Virginia or North Carolina in summer.
When it flies
Adults peak in July and August, with a fairly short flight season. Because the moths emerge over just a few weeks and live only days, timing your light nights to mid- and late summer matters more for this species than for most.
The Hickory Horned Devil and life cycle
The caterpillar steals the show. The Hickory Horned Devil grows to about the length of a hot dog - North America's largest caterpillar - turning a vivid blue-green with black-tipped orange horns near the head. It looks terrifying but is entirely harmless: the horns are soft and it does not sting or bite. It feeds on hickory, pecan, walnut, sweetgum, persimmon, and other hardwoods. When full-grown in late summer it leaves the tree, burrows into the soil, and pupates underground without a cocoon, overwintering before the adult emerges the next summer.
How to see one at night
Adults come to UV and mercury-vapor light far more readily than to white LED, so a blacklight on a white sheet is the classic setup - moths respond most to short-wavelength light, and artificial light seems to disrupt the flight orientation they normally hold against the moon, leaving them circling nearby. Pick a warm, calm, moonless July or August night; check our good night for moths guide for the ideal conditions. New to mothing? Start with mothing for beginners, then run the predictor to see if Regal Moths are likely near you. For another spectacular silk moth, compare the Imperial Moth.