Atlas Moth:
An ‘Atlas Moth’ (Attacus atlas), recognised as the world’s largest moth, has been recently discovered in Guddehalli in Karwar of Karnataka’s Davangare district.
- Atlas Moth is a massive saturniid moth native to tropical and subtropical rainforest regions of Southeast Asia.
- Scientific Name: Attacus atlas
- It is widely distributed in Southeast Asia, including in Nepal, northeastern India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, southeastern China, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Taiwan.
- It is primarily found in tropical and subtropical rainforests.
- They are cultivated in some areas for their silk called fagara, which is rough and woolly.
- It is one of the largest moths in the world, with a wingspan of over 9.8 inches.
- Their wingspans are also amongst the largest, reaching over 25 cm (10 in).
- Females are slightly larger than males.
- The wings of an atlas moth are a beautiful mix of brown, orange, white, and pink colors.
- They have clear, triangle-shaped “windows” on each wing. These windows look like they are made of glass.
- Like other moths in the family Saturniidae, adults do not have working mouthparts and only live for a few days to a week.
- Atlas moths lives only 14-18 days.
