The emperor is a large moth with a strange eye-like marking in the centre of each wing.
The caterpillars are bright green with black bands and pink spots!
The emperor moth is usually found around the heathland of the National Park.
When the caterpillar changes into a moth it creates a cocoon. This is a dangerous stage as it can face attack from predators. The Emperor moth has a very clever way of protecting itself from this fate: the cocoon has a one way exit with a ring of stiff bristles preventing predators from coming in but allowing the moth to get out!
Did you know? A male Emperor moth can find a female by her scent from one kilometre away!
Herbivore: The caterpillars feed on heather but the adult moths do not feed at all. Instead they use the fat stored whilst they were caterpillars. This means when they run out of fat, they die!
The traditional management systems that created the forest heathland are in decline. This impacts on the plants and animals that rely on this artificially managed landscape. The heather is particularly important for the Emperor moth caterpillars as nothing else will do!
Help to look after the heathland habitat by taking your litter home and prevent heathland fires by only using designated barbecue areas in the Forest.