A large brown and yellow saturniid moth, Citheronia regalis, of the eastern United States, having a large caterpillar with spiky horns on the thoracic segments.
Origin
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in Friends' Intelligencer.
Definition of regal moth in US English:
regal moth
noun
A large brown and yellow saturniid moth, Citheronia regalis, of the eastern United States, having a large caterpillar with spiky horns on the thoracic segments.
Origin
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in Friends' Intelligencer.