FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
The Regal Moth, which is also known as the royal walnut moth, is a North American moth belonging to the Saturniidae genus and order Lepidoptera. Hickory horned devils are the caterpillars' name. The adult's wingspan ranges from 3.75-6.1 in (9.5-15.5 cm). The first person to describe the genus was Johan Christian Fabricius in 1793. It is nocturnal, like most moths that exist. The Imposing Caterpillar, famously referred to as the Hickory Horned Devil, is usually seen when it is fully grown and emerges from the trees to look for a pupation spot.
The Hickory Horned Devil Caterpillar (larva of the Royal Walnut Moth, Citheronia regalis) has a ferocious appearance but is harmless. It has a black-spined, green body with black-tipped red spines behind its back. Walnut, hickory, and persimmon leaves are the main sources of nutrition, hence the name! The adult Regal Moth's forewings are olive-gray with yellow spots and red veins, and the hindwings are reddish-orange with yellow markings.
The Regal Moth lays her eggs on various fruit and nut trees made of hardwood, and the caterpillars take ten days to hatch in. But for their spines and horns, the juvenile caterpillar shows no similarity to the adult caterpillar. Until they begin burrowing into the earth to pupate, where they start black, then turn brown, tan, light green, and eventually brilliant turquoise green. These are solitary caterpillars that, despite their size, do not cause a lot of destruction to their host tree like other pests. The Regal Moth caterpillar grows from a hatchling to a mature and ready-to-pupate state in 35-45 days.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you could definitely check our articles on woodchuck or blackburnian warbler.
Regal Moth, Citheronia regalis (Fabricius), is an insect and comes under the general classification of the Kingdom Animalia.
Regal Moth, Citheronia regalis (Fabricius), belongs to the class of Insecta.
No official study has been conducted to know the population of Regal Moths around the world yet.
Regal Moth, Citheronia regalis (Fabricius), is a widespread species in the American Deep South, but it gets rarer and more intermittent as we head north. It can be found in the United States' deciduous forests from Missouri to Massachusetts and southward from Texas to central Florida. The genus, which had previously been reported in New England, encountered a decline in the Atlantic Northeast during the mid-twentieth century.
From New Jersey all the way to Missouri, south towards the east of Texas and central Florida, the Regal Moth can be found in deciduous woodland areas in the eastern United States (North America). Towards the south of its range, it is more popular. They used to be found near Massachusetts, but they appear to be dwindling in terms of numbers in other areas of its range. On host plants, walnut, hickories, pecan, sweetgum, persimmon, and sumac, hickory horned devils can be found. Young caterpillars eat only a small amount of vegetation, but the later stages consume a large amount.
They are solitary creatures who generally keep to themselves.
In six days, the eggs hatch, and the larval stage lasts about 35 days. The adult Regal Moth has a lifespan of about ten days.
Pheromones are released by females, which the male can detect through his broad, plumose antennae. Males will travel thousands of miles to find a female. After the moths mate, the female spends the rest of her life laying eggs, while the male will mate many times more. Vestigial mouths are mouthparts that have been diminished in adults of this moth family. As a result, they don't feed and survive for just about a week as adults.
Adult moths begin oviposition at dusk on the third evening after emergence and mate on the second evening after emergence. The eggs hatch in days, and the larval period lasts about 35 days. Larvae are typically found roaming on the ground in central Florida from late July to mid-August, looking for the right place to burrow into the soil for pupation.
While a few late collection reports show the existence of a minor second brood in the deep south, the Regal Moth usually only has one generation each year. Adults have been spotted in Florida as early as May, although they are more frequent in the summer.
Citheronia regalis is home to at least six species of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae), one species of sarcophagid fly (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), and one species of braconid wasp are amongst the threats to the Regal Moth. Regardless the Regal Moth is under no threat or concern.
The Regal Moth has a wing size of 3.75-6.1 in (9.5-15.5 cm). Females have a greater body size than males. They tend to have gray-green forewings with orange veins and a band of seven to nine yellow spots near the distal margin. The hind wing is mainly orange, with a mark at the base and spots on the coastal and anal margins. One to two sets of gray-green spots can be found on the hind wing. The body is orange with a thin yellow band running across it.
The hickory horned devil larva is one of our largest native saturniid caterpillars. The color of the caterpillars varies somewhat, but they are typically blue-green. Two long and two shorter orange, black color tipped scoli appear in the second and third thoracic segments, respectively (tubercles in the form of spinose projections of the body wall). Segments from two to eight have a pale, oblique lateral stripe, and each segment has four narrow black scoli. Despite its threatening nature, the larva is absolutely harmless.
The Regal Moth species looks very cute. If they were to be rated from one to ten, their score might be as high as a nine! They are really colorful in their adult forms, brown or orange wings with yellow spots on them. They also have short black legs and orange veins on the wings. Their larvae or caterpillar form is really unique, too. The bright green color with their signature black-tipped red horns is the reason why they are also known as the Hickory Horned Devil.
A comprehensive study about how these fascinating creatures communicate has yet to be done, but adult Regal Moth, Citheronia regalis (Fabricius), use pheromones to communicate during mating season.
This is easily how you can find and identify the Regal Moth. The Regal Moth Citheronia regalis can be identified by its size apart from its stripes and spots. It belongs to the family of Giant Silk Moth, and the Regal Moth size can be as big as a human hand. The wingspan of an adult is 3.7-6 in (9.5-15.5 cm).
Regal Moth (Citheronia regalis) has a narrow body, allowing them to fly quickly and over long distances, but the speed has never been officially recorded.
There is not enough information available on the weight of the Regal Moth.
They do not have gender-specific names as such.
Baby Regal Moths are called larvae or caterpillars, depending upon their stage in the lifecycle.
Larvae can be found in many host tree species. They are commonly present on walnut, butternut, or white walnut, and many hickories, including pecan, persimmon, sumacs, and sweet-gum.
They are not dangerous. Their intimidating nature is a myth. The spines, though prickly, do not sting, and the larvae are harmless.
Most probably not, as the hickory horned devil has a short lifespan, and caring for delicate insects like butterflies and moths is an impossible task.
Despite their looks and spiny features, they are not poisonous.
They only live for about ten days. How unfortunate, right? These species are found in the Eastern United States, from New York to Florida and New Jersey. The caterpillar feeds on hickory and walnuts, persimmon, sycamore, sweet gums, and a variety of other trees. The caterpillar pupates in an earthen chamber underground.
The Hickory Horned Devil might be large, but the world's largest caterpillar is the Lonomia obliqua, a giant silkworm.
Adult Regal Moths typically fold up their legs into a tent-like shape. They end up looking like a pyramid from above. This is their resting phase and this truly helps them relax.
The Regal Moth is surely one of the largest moths in the world, but the Atlas Moth is the world's largest moth.
Regal Moths have not been witnessed performing many funny activities in the wild, such as funny squeaks and raiding beehives for honey!
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other arthropods, including rosy maple moth, or io moth.
You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Regal Moth coloring pages.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising.
We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published.
Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.
We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
Was this article helpful?
We’ll send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out.
Check your inbox for your latest news from us. You have subscribed to:
Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter.