Photo: Janbryan · CC BY-SA 4.0
Atlas moth
Attacus atlas
One of the largest moths in the world, with immense wings that mimic snake heads: the atlas moth lives only a few days, without even feeding.
Characteristics
Temperament
A nocturnal moth with a very brief adult life. As an adult it does not feed and lives only a few days to reproduce; it defends itself with wings that mimic snake heads.
Diet
The caterpillar feeds voraciously on leaves; the adult has no functional mouthparts and does not feed.
A giant among moths
The atlas moth is one of the largest moths in the world, with a wingspan that can exceed twenty-five centimetres and a wing surface among the most extensive of all lepidopterans. It lives in the tropical and subtropical forests of southern and south-eastern Asia. The wings, of a warm brown-reddish colour with patterns in white, black and pink, have wide transparent areas, like little windows. The name, recalling the titan Atlas of mythology, underlines its imposing size.
Wings that look like snakes
One of the most fascinating features of the atlas moth is the tip of its forewings: their shape and markings recall a snake's head in a striking way. When the insect is threatened, it can move its wings slowly, accentuating this resemblance to frighten predators. It is an example of defensive mimicry, in which a defenceless animal imitates the appearance of a dangerous one to protect itself.
A very brief adult life
The atlas moth's life cycle contains a fascinating contrast. The caterpillar, large and voracious, feeds intensively on leaves to accumulate all the reserves it needs. The adult, on the other hand, has no functional mouthparts and cannot feed: it lives solely on the reserves built up during the larval stage, and for this reason its life is very brief, just a few days. In that time its only purpose is to reproduce.
A precious cocoon
Before transforming, the atlas moth's caterpillar weaves a large cocoon of tough silk. In some Asian regions this silk, called fagara, is collected and used, though in limited quantities compared with the silk produced by the common silkworm.
Conservation
The atlas moth is not considered a particularly threatened species, but like all tropical insects it depends on the conservation of the forests in which it lives. Deforestation and habitat loss are the main threats. Its spectacular beauty also makes it popular in captivity, in breeding facilities and butterfly houses.
