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Attacus atlas
By peace | January 10, 2012
Male and Female Atlas Moth
Class INSECTA
Order LEPIDOPTERA
Suborder GLOSSATA
Family SATURNIIDAE
Name (Scientific) Attacus atlas
Name (English) Atlas Moth
With a wingspan of up to a foot in length, the great Atlas Moth is believed to be the world’s largest moth. The Atlas Moth has a wingspan of 25-30 cm and the largest wings of all moths covering about 400 cm². The Atlas Moth is named after the Greek titan Atlas, who was punished with the weight of the Earth on his shoulders for eternity. The wings are extremely large, making flight somewhat awkward. Females are considerably larger than males. According to this website: http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/inverts/atlas_moth.htm : The Atlas Moth has the largest wing surface area of all moths (but not the longest wings, see below). Family Saturniidae (Silkworm Moths). This family has the largest moths with showiest wings. It is so named because its wing patterns resemble maps. The Atlas Moth’s wings have triangular transparent “windows” whose purpose we don’t know. The wing tips are hooked and some say resemble a snake’s head complete with eye, to scare off predators. In Hong Kong the Cantonese name translates as “snake’s head moth”, referring to apical extension of the forewing, which bears a passing resemblance to a snake’s head.
The Atlas Moth is common in the subtropical forests of Southeast Asia, from southern China to Indonesia. Females release pheromones through a gland at the end of the abdomen to attract males which can scent them over several kilometres downwind by means of their large feathery antennae. After copulation females lay the 2.5 mm large egg to the underside of leaves of the food plant. Caterpillars hatch after about two weeks. The caterpillar of the Atlas Moth can reach a length of 11.5 cm and is blue-green with long, dorsal processes. Fully grown caterpillars spin a 7-8 cm long cocoon among some leaves and attach it with a silken string to the twig. Within the cocoon the chrysalis metamorphoses for about four weeks before the new Atlas Moth emerges. The Atlas Moth flies throughout the year but is most abundant from November to January. Adults of the Atlas Moth do not feed because their mouthparts are stunted. They therefore live just about two weeks.
In India, Atlas moths are cultivated for their silk in a non-commercial capacity; unlike that produced by the related Silkworm moth (Bombyx mori), Atlas moth silk is secreted as broken strands. This brown, wool-like silk is thought to have greater durability and is known as fagara. Atlas moth cocoons are used to make purses in Taiwan.
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