The Io moth, also known as the peacock moth, is a colorful North American moth in the family Saturniidae and a member of the subfamily Hemileucinae. Its name comes from Greek mythology, where Io was a mortal lover of Zeus. The species ranges from the southeast corner of Manitoba and the southern extremes of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in Canada, through much of the United States east of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Utah, and south to the southern end of Florida. It was first described by the entomologist Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775.
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) Relationship to PeopleAgricultural or Structural Pest 2 Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceMales have bright yellow forewings while females have reddish brown to purple forewings, and both sexes have one large black to bluish eyespot with white in the center on each hindwing. 1 Comparison
NatureServe Rank CITES Appendix Scientific Name Conservation Status Connections
Child Taxon Of
In Biome
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Automeris io
Source NatureServe Explorer: Automeris io
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Automeris io
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Automeris io
Taxobox
Automeris io
Description section
Both males and females have one big black to bluish eyespot with some white in the center, on each hindwing.
- North American moth
Conservation status
The Io moth has not been evaluated for listing on the IUCN Red List and has no special status on the U.S. Federal List.
View the Source2. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Automeris io
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyPrimary Diet, Automeris io
Primary Diet herbivore herbivore
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative Impacts
Negative Impacts injures humans bites or stings crop pest
Conservation Status: CITES
CITES No special status
In Biome: Grassland, Terrestrial Biomes
Habitat Regions temperate temperate terrestrial terrestrial Terrestrial Biomes savanna or grassland savanna or grassland forest forest
In Biome: Temperate Forest, Terrestrial Biomes
Habitat Regions temperate temperate terrestrial terrestrial Terrestrial Biomes savanna or grassland savanna or grassland forest forest
View the Source 3. NatureServe Explorer: Automeris io
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "G5"
In Biome: Riparian Zone, Species characteristics: Riparian
"palustrineHabitatDescEn": "Riparian"
View the Source IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Wikidata: Io Moth
- Wikidata Q1766445, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)
- Child Taxon Of: Saturniidae, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
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