Key features

• Coloration:  Males and females look very different.  Male wings are very dark except for white/cream patterns along wing margins.  Females have distinct erratic vertical line and small white/cream polygons in middle of each wing.  Females look similar to Cecropia Moth.
• Shape:  Rounded wing tips, feathery antennae
• Wingspan: 7.5-9.5 cm
• Similar species: Tuliptree Silkmoth looks similar to female Promethea.

When and where to find them

• Flight period in our area: late May to mid July potentially
• Activity period: DIURNAL, mainly active around 3-6pm but females may fly at night
• Host plants: Sassafras, Black Cherry, Lilac, White Ash

Links to more photos of this species

Butterflies and Moths of North America Flickr pool

BugGuide.net

Bugwood Network images

Links to more information about this species

BugGuide.net

World's Largest Saturniid Site

Sources
Tuskes, P.M., J.P. Tuttle, M.M. Collins. (1996) The Wild Silk Moths of North America: A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada. Cornell University Press. Ithaca, NY.
Covell, C.V. (2005) A Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America. Virginia Museum of Natural History. Martinsville, VA.