The MGS Forum

Gardening in mediterranean climates => Wildlife in the garden (birds, butterflies, and how to attract them) => Topic started by: Fleur Pavlidis on May 31, 2012, 07:17:50 PM

Title: Friend or foe - giant moth IDd by Oron as Saturnia pyri, the Great Peacock Moth
Post by: Fleur Pavlidis on May 31, 2012, 07:17:50 PM

Mike et al. Should I be worried to find this in the garden?

Title: Re: Friend or foe
Post by: David Bracey on May 31, 2012, 08:50:19 PM

I think it`s the Emperor moth  Eudia pavonia.  One will not do much harm.

Title: Re: Friend or foe
Post by: oron peri on June 01, 2012, 05:50:22 AM

David and Fleur

By the dark color  of the body, and creamy wide margins of the wings i would say it is Saturnia pyri.
It is the largest moth in the region.
It is fed on Rosaceae, in particularly Almond trees, as David say they cant make any harm.

Title: Re: Friend or foe
Post by: Alisdair on June 01, 2012, 07:40:03 AM

What a magnificent creature!

Title: Re: Friend or foe - giant moth IDd by Oron as Saturnia pyri, the Great Peacock Moth
Post by: Fleur Pavlidis on June 01, 2012, 08:30:55 AM

What a relief. I garden in an almond grove so it can feed all it wants, have babies and colonise. Thanks all - I'll move this out of pests.

Title: Re: Friend or foe - giant moth IDd by Oron as Saturnia pyri, the Great Peacock Moth
Post by: MikeHardman on June 03, 2012, 11:21:10 AM

Fleur,
I agree with Oron - Saturnia pyri, the great peacock moth.
There's an excellent document on the species here - http://tpittaway.tripod.com/silk/s_pyr.htm.
Note especially the photos of the larvae - so you can recognize them and leave them alone.
It is a magnificent insect, and I am envious of you! :)
Thanks for posting.

Title: Re: Friend or foe - giant moth IDd by Oron as Saturnia pyri, the Great Peacock Moth
Post by: Fleur Pavlidis on June 03, 2012, 07:00:03 PM

Thanks for the link, Mike. I've printed out the photos of the caterpillars to stick on the fridge so that I can learn what they look like. Since I couldn't remember the life cycle of moths I looked for information and found this video of a Silkmoth which is the same genus. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIhlj3ZMxqg . The caterpillars are very similar in appearance.