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Who knew moths this big even existed?
The Atlas moth (Attacus Atlas) is is a large moth found in the tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia, southern China, common across the Malay archipelago, Thailand to Indonesia.
These moths are considered the largest in the world in terms of total wing surface area (65 square inches). 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.
Another interesting characteristic of the Atlas moth is that it doesn’t have fully developed mouth-parts, so it can’t feed…ever. It survives on the larval fat reserves, throughout their entire 1-2 weeks adult lives.
Comments
16 comments
March 30, 2008
beautiful! why do such pleasures have such tragic niches?
March 30, 2008
wow! that is so cool!
March 30, 2008
How beautiful! Absolutely amazing moth!!!
Kimberly
http://ExoticAnimalLover.com
March 30, 2008
Photoshopped
March 30, 2008
top wing tips look like snake heads
March 30, 2008
Peter, look it up on Wikipedia you f*cking cumbubble.
March 30, 2008
Peter is right, every single photo has been photoshopped just check the file attributes.
March 30, 2008
dear author, 9 months ago i had the rare opportunity to come across a similar moth, i dont remember the name.
wings of pasely color, body the size of my thumb, body was orange with white stripes.
this was at my company, we were all stunned.
i did a search at the time to identify, yes no mouth, lives about 3 weeks, likes light, mine was about 3″ x 5″ it was as beautiful as it was scary. highly sensitive to pheromones, several miles, born late may dies in june if i recall right, all are born on 1 specific day. truly amazing I will not forget
these do exist in usa, i am testament to this, thanks
March 30, 2008
6 months ago I was at a butterfly museum with live butterflies and moths, and if anything the pictures here don’t do the Atlas moth justice. Incredible insect.
March 31, 2008
of course it is photoshopped, these pictures are probably taken from a magazine or something, where they do in fact edit their pictures to get them ligther / darker, to make them fit in with the rest of the page etc.
March 31, 2008
i am frm SE Asia and while i have yet to come across this moth there is one that frequented my school .I believe the breeding or watever month is right abt now.It is dark brown in colour.and is pretty big If anyone knows what it is please reply thanks.
April 3, 2008
Oh my god!!! That is soooo creepy! I hate moths but one like this would send me to the cardiac unit!!!
April 11, 2008
One of my all-time favorite moths. Stunningly beautiful.
September 29, 2008
That is absuletly amazing I uset to have one just like that
October 22, 2008
Peter - what is it exactly about the pictures you think has been Photoshopped. If you’re thinking the size, you’re wrong.
As above, try Wikipedia or even the Guinness Book of World Records…….BEFORE you make such comments.
May 4, 2009
Hey!!!! i am from Goa , India , i had this same moth visit my place a couple of months back, and it was amazing , never seen anthing like this before in my life, n best , it dissapeared next morning though it was in a locked room…..