As they lack fully formed mouthparts, the adults cannot eat, subsisting entirely on fat reserves accumulated during the larval stage. To conserve energy, the moths rest during the day and fly at night. The adult moths emerge from the cocoon after approximately four weeks depending on environmental factors.Īdult Atlas moths are weak, unsteady fliers. They spin a 7–8 cm long papery cocoon interwoven with desiccated leaves and attach it to a twig using a strand of silk. Pupa After reaching a length of about 11.5 cm, the caterpillars are ready to pupate. The majority of the time their first meal is their egg-shell. Beside the prolegs on the last abdominal segment, there is a large green spot surrounded by an orange ring. They are adorned with white, waxy, fleshy spines along their backs, which become more prominent at later instars. The caterpillars can grow to 11.5 cm in length and 2.5 cm in thickness. Bhd., Kuala Lumpur & The Natural History Museum, London. Hostplants of the Moth and Butterfly Caterpillars of the Oriental Region. Larva Dusty-green caterpillars hatch after approximately two weeks and feed voraciously on the foliage of citrus, cinnamon, guava, and evergreen trees.Robinson, G.S., Ackery, P.R., Kitching, I.J., Beccaloni, G.W. Oxford University Press Once fertilized, the female lays a number of spherical eggs, 2.5 mm in diameter, on the undersides of the leaves of food plants. Males can detect and home in on these pheromones from several kilometers away using chemoreceptors located on their feathery antennae.Shepherd, G.M. She seeks out a perch where the air currents will best carry her pheromones. The female does not stray far from the location of her discarded cocoon. Mating Females release powerful pheromones through a gland on the end of the abdomen to attract a mate. EtymologyĮggs Larva (3rd instar) Pupa within cocoon Emerging from pupa Imago A female will wait for a male to come along and be fertilised, lay eggs and die. They conserve energy by flying as little as possible. Every flight takes valuable energy and can take days off their already short lives, as it has a very short life span of only one to two weeks. The Atlas moth has a very short, vestigial proboscis, and they do not eat once they have emerged from the cocoon, relying on fat storage for energy. (2010) Butterflies: Messages From Psyche Papadakis, 192 pp. Both forewings have a prominent extension at the tip, with markings that resemble the head of a snake, a resemblance which is exaggerated by movements of the wings when the moth is confronted by potential predators.Howse, P.E.
Attacus atlas windows#
The upperside of the wings are reddish brown with a pattern of black, white, pink, and purple lines and triangular, scale-less windows bordered in black. The body is disproportionately small compared to the wings. Insect Biodiversity: Science and Society. The Dictionary of Butterflies and Moths in Colour. As in most Lepidoptera, females are noticeably larger and heavier than males, while males have broader antennae.Watson, A. It is only surpassed in wingspan by the white witch (Thysania agrippina) and Attacus caesar, and in wing surface area by the Hercules moth (Coscinocera hercules). Their cocoons are used to make Fagara Silk in northern India, while in Taiwan, they’re made into pocket purses.The Atlas moth is one of the largest lepidopterans, with a wingspan measuring up to 24 cm and a wing surface area of about 160 cm2 (~25 in2). Atlas Moth caterpillars pupate in cocoons made of broken strands of silk. Caterpillars produce a foul-smelling secretion that can be sprayed up to 50 cm as a defence mechanism. They often switch between plant species during their development. The caterpillars eat a variety of plants including pawpaw/sugar apple ( Annona sp.), citrus plants ( Citrus sp.), evergreen trees and shrubs ( Cinnamomum and Nephelium sp.), and guava ( Psidium sp.). The caterpillars are plump, bluish-green with white projections lining their dorsal surface. Instead, they survive for less than 1 week off fat reserves created as a caterpillar. Adults lack a mouth and therefore don’t feed.
The Atlas Moth occurs in tropical and subtropical forests of southeast Asia. Males are much smaller than females, and have large feathery antennae. The forewing tips are bent and somewhat resemble a snake’s head. The function of these patches is not well understood. Their wings are reddish-brown with triangular, translucent patches. It has the second longest wingspan at 25-30 cm. In terms of total wing surface area, the atlas moth is the largest moth in the world. Wedding & Event Guests: COVID-19 Policies.
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