The female giant leopard moth is much larger than the males of her species and can be differentiated by her dark brown or yellow abdomen marked with black spots and broad bluish bands. After dark, the sedentary female moth extends a scent gland from the tip of her abdomen and releases her airborne pheromones. Night-flying males zigzag their way to the receptive female, picking up the gradient of chemical attractants with their well developed, long, thin, curled antennae. After mating, the males fly off to seek another mate, while the female oviposits her eggs on a wide variety of host plants, including violets, plantains, cherries, maples, and willows.