| Actual Image
The little, big one... (64)
gerhardt
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1976 W: 259 N: 4103]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (11585) | Atlas Moth
Attacus atlas
The Atlas Moth has the largest wing surface area of all moths. The Giant Silkworm Moth has a wing surface area that rivals the Atlas Moth's. The Hercules Moth from Australia and Papua New Guinea is also 28cm. The Owlet Moth of tropical Americas can reach 30cm.
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.
Female Atlas Moths attract males by secreting a pheromone through a gland at the end of the abdomen. The male Atlas Moths has huge long feathery antennae to track down the female by her pheromones. The females are much larger than the males and don't have feathery antennae.
Atlas Moth eggs are laid on the underside of a leaf. They hatch in 8-14 days depending on the temperature. The caterpillars are bluish green with large bumps on them, and covered with a fine white powder.
The caterpillars eat a wide variety of foodplants and may even wander from one to another. Their foodplants include the Jamaican Cherry Tree (Muntingia calabura), soursop, cinnamon, lime, pomelo, rambutan, guava, citrus fruits.
The Atlas Moth's pupae is encased in a silken cocoon. The pupal stage of the Atlas Moth lasts about 4 weeks.
Adult Atlas Moths don't eat at all throughout their adult life which lasts for about two weeks. An adult Atlast Moth doesn't even have a mouth and lives off fat reserves built up when it was a caterpillar. The adults quickly mate, lay eggs, and die shortly thereafter.
Atlas Moths are found only in Southeast Asia. They are common in Singapore, especially in November-January, although they are found throughout the year.
While the Silkworm Moth (Bombyx mori, which belongs to a different but related family) which makes its cocoon out of one unbroken silk strand, the Atlas Moth caterpillar makes it out of broken strands of silk. Nevertheless, Atlas Moth cocoons are used to make a durable silk called Fagara Silk, in northern India. In Taiwan, their cocoons are made into pocket purses!
If you have a 17" monitor the wingspan of this moth is about the size of your monitor. Now look at the photo again and compare it to your monitor. :) Amazing isn't it! I saw this newly hatched (wings still not dry) moth at a Butterfly House on my vacation. |
|
