Actias gnoma

Description

Actias gnoma, the Japanese moon moth, is a moth in the family Saturniidae The species was first described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1877. It is found in Japan and the Russian Far East. Adults are light greenish blue with a raised and sparse scale cover. A single postmedial fascia is found on the forewings. The eyes are small, mostly with a fine black frame (although this is sometimes absent). The inner half of the eye is narrower than the outer one. The apex of the hindwings is usually pointed. 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.