Saturnia pavonia (Linnaeus, 1758)
(Emperor Moth)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesSaturnia pavonia (Emperor Moth)
FamilySATURNIIDAE (emperor moths)
SuperfamilyBOMBYCOIDEA (silk moths, emperor etc.)
CladeMacrolepidoptera (macro-moths)
CladeObtectomera (butterflies and most moths)
CladeApoditrysia (butterflies and most moths)
InfraorderDitrysia (butterflies and most moths)
InfraorderHeteroneura (an infraorder of moths and butterflies)
SuborderGLOSSATA (a suborder of moths)
OrderLEPIDOPTERA (butterflies and moths)
Division Endopterygota (bees, beetles, flies, moths and other insects with wings developing internally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Saturnia pavonia (Emperor Moth) :
1: Saturnia pavonia (Emperor Moth)
10 Jul 2015 OSGR: SY98 50° 40’ N, 2° 0’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
part-grown larva, on dead leaf, near Bog Myrtle
Image 1: Larva - dorsal viewImage 2: Larva - dorsal view (2)Image 3: Larva - lateral viewImage 4: Larva - lateral view (2)Image 5: Larva - lateral view (3)
2: Saturnia pavonia (Emperor Moth)
30 Apr 2014 OSGR: SU00 50° 50’ N, 1° 60’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
Male wing, on ground
Image 1: Forewing - eye-spot on dorsal surface - highly enlargedImage 2: Forewing - eye-spot on dorsal surface - scales on inner portion - magnifiedImage 3: Forewing - scales near wing-tip - dorsal surface - magnifiedImage 4: Scales near eye-spot - close-up - microscope low magnificationImage 5: Scales near eye-spot - close-up - microscope low magnification (2)Image 6: Scales near eye-spot - extreme close-up - microscope low magnification
3: Saturnia pavonia (Emperor Moth)
3 Jul 2005 OSGR: SO23 51° 60’ N, 3° 10’ W Vice County: Brecon (VC 42) Wales
Larva walking along sheep track through Bilberry . Photos: larva, female imago, cocoon, LS cocoon, pupal exuvia, cremaster
Image 1: Cocoon - close-upImage 2: Cocoon - longitudinal section - close-upImage 3: Cocoon - new - with larva withinImage 4: Cocoon - new - with larva within (2)Image 5: Female adult - dorsal viewImage 6: Female adult - ventral viewImage 7: Larva - dorso-lateral viewImage 8: Larva - dorso-lateral view (2)Image 9: Larva - dorso-lateral view (3)Image 10: Larva - latero-dorsal viewImage 11: Larva - latero-dorsal view (2)Image 12: Larva - latero-dorsal view (3)Image 13: Larva - latero-dorsal view (4)Image 14: Female adult - head and antennae - anterior view - enlargedImage 15: Female adult - head and antennae - anterior view - enlarged (2)Image 16: Female adult - wing - enlargedImage 17: Female adult - wing - enlarged (2)Image 18: Female adult - wing - eye spot - enlargedImage 19: Female adult - wing - eye spot - enlarged (2)Image 20: Larva - foreparts - lateral view - enlargedImage 21: Pupal exuvia - cremaster - dorsal view - close-up - highly enlargedImage 22: Pupal exuvia - cremaster - dorsal view - close-up - highly enlarged (2)Image 23: Pupal exuvia - cremaster - ventral view - close-up - highly enlargedImage 24: Pupal exuvia - dorsal view - close-up - enlarged - dark backgroundImage 25: Pupal exuvia - dorsal view - close-up - enlarged - dark background (2)Image 26: Pupal exuvia - dorsal view - close-up - enlarged - pale backgroundImage 27: Pupal exuvia - lateral view - close-up - enlargedImage 28: Pupal exuvia - ventral view - close-up - enlarged
4: Saturnia pavonia (Emperor Moth)
28 Feb 2003 OSGR: ZZ00 United Kingdom
. Photos: ova, pupa, cocoon
Image 1: Eggs - infertile - lower sideImage 2: Eggs - infertile - lower side Image 3: Eggs - infertile - upper sideImage 4: Eggs - infertile - upper side (2)Image 5: Female pupa - dorsalImage 6: Female pupa - dorsal (2)Image 7: Female pupal exuviaImage 8: Female pupal exuvia (2)Image 9: Female pupa - ventralImage 10: Female pupa - ventral (2)Image 11: Male cocoonImage 12: Male cocoon - cut in halfImage 13: Male pupal exuviaImage 14: Male pupal exuvia (2)
5: Saturnia pavonia (Emperor Moth)
4 Mar 1979 OSGR: SU94 51° 10’ N, 0° 40’ W Vice County: Surrey (VC 17) England
Cocoon
Image 1: Cocoon with parasite exit hole
6: Saturnia pavonia (Emperor Moth)
14 Jun 1970 OSGR: TG10 52° 40’ N, 1° 10’ E Vice County: East Norfolk (VC 27) England
Reared from eggs laid by females caught 1 May 70 and 7 May 70.
Image 1: Adult - female - on netting - upper sideImage 2: Adult - female - upper sideImage 3: Adult - male - upper sideImage 4: Adult - male - under sideImage 5: Larva - dark stage - full grown - photographed 21 June 70Image 6: Adult - female - Image 7: Adult - male - antennae - dorsal - enlargedImage 8: Adult - male - face - enlargedImage 9: Larva - immature - photographed 14 June 70 - enlargedImage 10: Larval spiracle - photographed 21 June 70 - highly enlargedImage 11: Larval spiracle - photographed 21 June 70 - highly enlarged (2)
7: Saturnia pavonia (Emperor Moth)
4 Jun 1970 OSGR: ZZ00 United Kingdom
Eggs, in strawberry field, Norfolk
Image 1: Eggs - enlarged
8: Saturnia pavonia (Emperor Moth)
9 May 1970 OSGR: TG10 52° 40’ N, 1° 10’ E Vice County: East Norfolk (VC 27) England
Image 1: Eye spot - enlargedImage 2: Eye spot - highly enlarged

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Waring, P. 2006 Emperor moth larva Vol 17 (6) Page: 437

Saturnia pavonia (Emperor Moth) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Saturnia pavonia (Emperor Moth)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 4 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Saturnia pavonia (Emperor Moth)
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