Io (Peacock) Moth


This photo of a female io was generously shared with us by Ed in nearby Sellersville, PA.

Ios are members of the saturniidae family of giant silkworm moths, and the adults of this family do not feed. The larva have a wide variety of host trees and plants.

Our only close encounter with an io so far involved finding an io caterpillar in the yard. Alas, it had already been parasitized and did not live to make a cocoon. They have poison-tipped spines that can give you a sting, so if you're going to pick one up for a closer look or for rearing, be careful - use gloves!