Opodiphthera astrophela

Opodiphthera astrophela (Walker, 1855)
Emperor Moth
(formerly known as Antheraea astrophela)
SATURNIIDAE, BOMBYCOIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Opodiphthera astrophela
(Photo: courtesy of Shane Litherland, Gympie, Queensland)

These Caterpillars are black with brilliant green stripes along and across the body.

(Photo: courtesy of Mike Johnson, Bundaberg, Queensland)

There is a red tubercle tipped with white spines at every junction of the transverse and longitudinal green stripes.

(Photo: courtesy of Faith Hewitt-Treadwell, Wollumbin Creek, New South Wales)

The caterpillars have been found feeding on a variety of trees, including:

Banana Bush ( Tabernaemontana pandacaqui, APOCYNACEAE ),

Butterwood ( Callicoma serratifolia, CUNONIACEAE ),

Red Ash ( Alphitonia excelsa, RHAMNACEAE ), and

Crows Ash ( Flindersia australis, RUTACEAE ).

cocoon

Opodiphthera astrophela
pupa and opened cocoon
(Photos: courtesy of Sue Beck, Meerschaum Vale, New South Wales)

The caterpillars grow to a length of about 6 cms. The caterpillars pupate in a pale brown tough oval silk cocoon.

drawing by Harriet and Helena Scott, listed as Antheraea simplex,
Australian Lepidoptera, Volume 2 (1864), Plate 13,
image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Australian Museum.

The cocoon is usually spun on plants growing below the food tree, and held on a twig by silk threads. The cocoon has a length of about 2 cms.

female
(Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

The female and male adult moths differ: The males are yellower, and the females darker and greyer. Originally they were thought to be different species. Both sexes have a brown eyespot on each wing, as well as two dark lines across each fore wing, and a curved dark line across each hind wing. They have a wingspan of about 8 cms.

male, drawing by Harriet and Helena Scott, listed as Antheraea simplex,
Australian Lepidoptera, Volume 2 (1864), Plate 13,
image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Australian Museum.

The species is found in the eastern quarter of Australia, including

Queensland, and

New South Wales.

Further reading :

Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia,
Melbourne University Press, 1990, pl. 15.2, p. 406.

Harriet, Helena, and Alexander W. Scott,
Australian Lepidoptera and their Transformations,
Australian Lepidoptera,
Volume 2 (1869), pp. 11-12, and also Plate 13.

Francis Walker,
Catalogue of Lepidoptera Heterocera,
List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum,
Part 5 (1855), p. 1255, No. 19.

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(updated 24 March 2013, 16 September 2025)