Emperor gum moth lives in eastern Australia, from northern Queensland to Tasmania. With a wingspan of up to about 43/4 inches (12 centimeters), the moths can look like bats when they fly around street lamps at night. Most of them are a dull yellowish color. They have a conspicuous circular spot on each of their four wings.
The heavy-bodied females lay large, round eggs on eucalyptus and pepper trees. The caterpillars that hatch from these eggs feed on the leaves until they grow to about 3 inches (8 centimeters) long. They are bright green with reddish, blue-tipped areas on their bodies. A yellowish, hairlike tuft arises from each of these spots. Their cocoons are made of strong silk. The moths have special hooks near the base of their wings, used to cut through the cocoon when they are ready to emerge.
