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Atlas Moth

legendary

Atlas Moth

Attacus atlas

Habitat
Tropical & subtropical forests of South & Southeast Asia
Wingspan
280 mm
Order
Lepidoptera · Saturniidae

Weird but real

Its wingtips mimic cobra heads, eye spots and all.

Why it's cool

Largest moth by wing area on Earth. Adults never eat, just live one week to mate and die.

Photographs

Atlas Moth - Attacus atlas, Brookside Gardens
Judy Gallagher · CC BY 2.0 · source
Common across the Malay archipelago, these bird-sized insects are considered the largest moths in the world. They are so big that their cocoons are occasionally used as purses in Taiwan. The total area of their wings can measure more than 60 square inches and their wingspans can
Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand · CC0 · source