Moth Species 🦋

Ailanthus Silkmoth (Samia cynthia)

Indigenous to Asia, primarily native to China



• Diet: This moth, like many other moth species, does not eat as an adult. They have no functional mouthparts so instead of eating, their energy goes entirely to mating and reproducing before dying. All the energy they have is from when they were cute little chunky larvae.


• Backstory: In the 1860s, they were imported from China and Korea to Northern America and Europe in an attempt to build a domestic silk industry. Well, that business plan failed since the silk was too coarse to reel properly. The Ailanthus Silkmoth produces Eri silk or "peace silk" since they are able to exit the cocoon before the silk is spun. Instead of working for them, the moths made a great escape and now have established wild populations worldwide.


• Primary Host Plant: Ailanthus altissima, AKA 🌳 The Tree of Heaven 🌳, which is itself considered invasive as it spreads rapidly. This moth quickly adapted, naturalising itself to living in urban areas such as parks and streets in cities.