The species was first described by father-and-son entomologists Cajetan and Rudolf Felder in 1862.

The taxon ningpoana Felder & Felder had been regarded as a subspecies of Actias selene until recently [3] and was elevated to species level in Ylla et al.

Lacking functional mouthparts, the adult lifespan is measured in days.

They have small heads, densely hairy bodies, and can have a wingspan ranging from 13 to 15 centimeters.

In Hong Kong, A. ningpoana has been reared on camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) (Hill et al., 1982[5] as Arctias [sic] selene), sweetgum (Liquidambar formosana) (Barretto, 2004[6]), Hibiscus, Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) and willow (Salix babylonica) (Yiu, 2006[7])