Celestial moon moth

Description

Actias chapae or colloquially known as the 'celestial moon moth' is a moth in the family Saturniidae. It is found in Vietnam and China and potentially other countries in the region; it is a montane species recorded from 1500m and higher. It appears to be an exclusive pine feeder and has been raised on many different species of Pinus in captivity. Actias is a genus of Saturniid moths, which contains the Asian-American moon moths. Long tails on their hindwings are among their distinctive traits. Other moths with similar appearance are Copiopteryx, Argema and Eudaemonia. The majority of species in this genus feed on the leaves of sweetgum, pine, or similar trees. As with all Saturniids, adult Actias moths lack functional mouthparts so their lifespan after emergence from the cocoon only ranges from a few days to a week.