Details
Attacus atlas
The Atlas moth is a giant forest moth of the Indomalayan realm. Adults are nocturnal and devote their short adult stage mainly to reproduction.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It is associated with tropical and subtropical forests. Caterpillars use leafy host trees, while adults rest among vegetation and search for mates at night.
Its wingspan is about 24-30 cm, with a weight of about 5-15 g. The broad reddish-brown wings show translucent patches and tips that can suggest a snake's head.
Adults are nocturnal and usually solitary. Females release pheromones, and males use large feathery antennae to locate them in the forest air.
Its diet is classed as other here because adult moths feed little or not at all. Energy stored during the leaf-eating caterpillar stage fuels adult life.
After mating, females lay eggs near suitable host plants. Caterpillars hatch, feed on leaves, and later spin a cocoon before emerging as adults.
Its conservation status is LC. Despite its impressive size, the adult stage is brief, so encounters are often seasonal and short-lived.
