Antheraea polyphemus a short-lived but giant moth whose caterpillars mostly feed on various oaks and many other trees: One magnificent reason never to rip off dead leaves or spray anything on your trees just because caterpillars are eating the foliage, and don't destroy crumpled leaves hanging or on the ground because they may be a beautiful moth's caterpillar in its chrysalis

Please click on individual images to ENLARGE. Click on enlargement to get even closer of view of Antheraea polyphemus, the giant Polyphemus moth, at World Peace Wetland Prairie on August 7, 2011.
For more about the life cycle of the Polyphemus moth, please see Fairfax, Virginia, public-school Web site.