Giant atlas moth - a bug with a 12 inch wingspan

Kathryn at Butterfly World in Victoria - The moth is on the screen which Kathryn is behind.

My love of insects often clashes with my wife's disdain for them.  However, we could both agree that the butterflies at Butterfly World in Victoria refuted that dichotomy.  One even landed on her and she posed to take a photo with it (see below).  It's not the one in the above photo; the atlas moths had recently emerged from their pupal stage and this one was resting on the screen of its cage.

Kathryn posing with a butterfly on her arm.

Atlas moths are amongst the largest lepidoptera with wingspans up to 12 inches.  This does not compare to the largest beetles that come in at over 3 ounces or some stick insects that may measure up to 2 feet in length.  Still, few insects can match both the size and beauty of an adult atlas moth.

Atlas moth caterpillars are voracious and can quickly denude a plant.  This is why they are often raised in a segregated environment.  As one author wrote, 

"We don't let them roam free in the exhibition because they eat so much. This allows them to build up fat reserves for the adult to live off. If we didn't monitor their eating, we would have no plants left in the butterfly house, so we keep them in their own feeding area while they are growing."  See link for reference.

Similar to the Polyphemus moth that we have in North America, the adults have no mouthparts and do not eat.  They may live up to two weeks after pupating.  During that time they search for mates and lay eggs.  The males are slightly smaller but have larger antennae while the females are the reverse of that.  Females release pheromones which the males can detect at great distances.  

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com

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