Emperor moths belong to the Saturniidae family and are probably the giants of the moth world with wingspans up to 7 inches. They are the most spectacular of all and come in brilliant colors.
This one has a wingspan of 4 inches and I found it sitting amongst the leaves of a bush early in the morning before it was warm enough for them to start flying around.
Most have elaborate eye-spots on the wings and large antennae. They are attracted to lights at night but some of the species are found during the day time.
The pupa of the species are normally found in the ground where they develop.
Mopane moths belong to this same family and are eaten as a delicacy by many people.
I sometimes think that moths are as beautiful as butterflies. There are definitely some stunning species around.
This one has a wingspan of 4 inches and I found it sitting amongst the leaves of a bush early in the morning before it was warm enough for them to start flying around.
Most have elaborate eye-spots on the wings and large antennae. They are attracted to lights at night but some of the species are found during the day time.
The pupa of the species are normally found in the ground where they develop. 
Mopane moths belong to this same family and are eaten as a delicacy by many people.
I sometimes think that moths are as beautiful as butterflies. There are definitely some stunning species around.
