ATTENTION❗ Ma E Mar is now 𝙃𝙮𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙖! Hyalophora Cecropia is the species of moth tattooed on my skin! 🦋 "It is the largest moth native to North America. They live east of the Rocky Mountains, in areas with deciduous forests. They belong to the family Saturniidae (giant silk moths). A female's wingspan can vary between 13 and 18 cm, or even more. The adult female lays reddish-brown eggs on the leaves of host plants, which hatch in about 10 to 14 days. After hatching, the caterpillars go through five stages, each lasting about a week. At first, they are small and black, with spines. As they grow, they become larger and blue-green in color, with colorful tubercles (protrusions). The caterpillars are herbivorous, feeding on the leaves of various trees and shrubs, such as maple, cherry, birch, willow, and apple. In the fall, the Mature caterpillars build a brown, silky cocoon, usually on tree branches or other wooden structures. The cocoon provides protection during the winter. The moth emerges from the cocoon in spring or early summer. The adult's sole function is mating and does not feed, as it lacks a digestive system or functional mouthparts. Therefore, its lifespan is short, lasting only about two weeks.