This thing has no eyes??

**llama momma** 7/17/2013, 10:51 am

I don't know what this is, it is the size of a luna moth but I've only seen greenish luna's. It has no eyes and a furry head? It hardly moved at all and hung onto a tomato leaf and deposited 4 yellow things when I moved it. What is this?

mollyhespra 7/17/2013, 11:02 am

I did a search by "big yellow fuzzy moth" and came up with this page:

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2010/07/09/imperial-moth-8/

Does that look like what you have? They say the females have more yellow which is consistent with your critter having laid those little eggs. I didn't research their life-cycle so have no idea if those eggs will hatch into something that will eat your whole garden or if you could just put them somewhere else in your yard to do their thing. They seem to be a type of silkworm. Very cool.

**llama momma** 7/17/2013, 11:13 am

Mollyhespra Thank you so much! Looks close enough to be an Imperial Moth.
Don't know why it landed on a tomato plant when I just read the preferred plant is trees like maple and sycamore. I have both so I suppose I could go outside and place it and the eggs in one of those trees. But first I'll read some more to see if it's a pest. Thanks again!

mollyhespra 7/17/2013, 11:17 am

You're welcome!

It may have felt itself in danger & figured chances were better to lay NOW than not at all.

southern gardener 7/17/2013, 5:59 pm

llama momma wrote:I don't know what this is, it is the size of a luna moth but I've only seen greenish luna's. It has no eyes and a furry head? It hardly moved at all and hung onto a tomato leaf and deposited 4 yellow things when I moved it. What is this?

wow!! cool looking whatever it is!! Did it end up flying away??

**llama momma** 7/17/2013, 9:00 pm

It didn't move! I carried the leaf into the house to take pictures and itstayed nearly motionless. It's def. an Imperial moth, the decorative markings can vary greatly after much reading.

Triciasgarden 7/17/2013, 10:46 pm

That sure is beautiful! I have never seen one before so thank you for sharing!

**llama momma** 7/18/2013, 9:18 am

Your welcome This thing has no eyes?? 3170584802

mollyhespra 7/18/2013, 11:32 am

So...whatdya find out about the eggs? Pest or no pest?

**llama momma** 7/18/2013, 11:38 am

I didn't find out if it was a pest or not. Nothing I read said one way or the other.
And when I went out this morning, it and its' eggs were gone too.

Nicola 7/19/2013, 2:05 am

llama momma wrote:I didn't find out if it was a pest or not. Nothing I read said one way or the other.
And when I went out this morning, it and its' eggs were gone too.

I did a search, "Is Imperial moth a garden pest?" and got the following:
http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=IPM1019-25, which includes,
"These large caterpillar species are usually not considered pests. Although a single individual can consume relatively large amounts of foliage, their numbers rarely reach levels that would warrant control. "
And it may be related to the silkworm--I wish I knew more about them now (like, could you grow your own silk, if it returns?)

**llama momma** 7/19/2013, 5:20 am

Nicola
I appreciate the information in case I find others! Interesting it was spotted on a tomato plant when 2 of its preferred plants, maples and sycamores were nearby.

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