Emperor moths primarily feed on the leaves of various plants during their larval stage. Their diet consists mainly of shrubs and plants from the Oleaceae and Salicaceae families, which include species like willows and poplars. As caterpillars, they are known to consume a significant amount of foliage to store energy for their transformation into adult moths.
Once they’ve completed their metamorphosis into adults, emperor moths do not eat in the traditional sense, as they lack functional mouthparts. Instead, their main focus is on mating and laying eggs to ensure the continuation of their species.