The sweetbay silkmoth (''Callosamia securifera'') is a saturniid in the genus '' Callosamia''. It was named after the host tree, ''

Magnolia virginiana ''Magnolia virginiana'', most commonly known as sweetbay magnolia, or merely sweetbay (also laurel magnolia, swampbay, swamp magnolia, white bay, or beaver tree), is a member of the magnolia family, Magnoliaceae. It was the first magnolia to be ...

'' (sweetbay magnolia). The species was first described by

Peter Maassen Peter Maassen, also J. Peter Maassen (9 December 1810 – 2 August 1890), was a German entomologist born in Duisburg. He originally intended to be a member of the clergy, but ultimately spent more than 35 years as an employee (later as superint ...

in 1873. Males have dark maroonish wings, while the females have brownish-pinkish wings. The southern phases are more orange yellow colored, brighter, and more pale. All phases have a "7" mark on their wings with the eyespots, lavender patches, and buff-patterned borders. These moths are diurnal and their mating period is in the afternoon. Their lifespan is about two weeks, long enough to mate and lay eggs. Like other moths in the genus ''Callosamia'', the caterpillar spins a hanging cocoon that has leaves attached to it.

References

Saturniinae Moths described in 1873 {{Saturniidae-stub