bettis1 Loc: Texas

A trip to the Butterfly House at Dallas' Fair Park revealed this big boy, an Atlas Moth. It is the largest moth in the world and is native to the forests of Southeast Asia. An adult female Atlas Moth may have a wingspan of 12 inches and a surface area of 64 square inches. They have no mouth parts and live on the energy stored as a caterpillar. Their sole purpose in life is to procreate (and you thought that teenage boys were singularly driven!) Their life span as a moth is 5-7 days.

They are very well camouflaged for their setting. If you look at the white areas in the wings you will see that they are completely translucent and reflect the foliage behind them. Their biggest predators are birds and lizards. If you look closely at the wing tips you will see that they have evolved to look exactly like a snake species that lives in the trees with them. The snake does not feed on the moths but does feed on the lizards and birds so the moth wing is a deterrent to its enemies.

Bob

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

That's a very impressive moth!
I had always thought the Luna Moth was the largest??
SS

bettis1 Loc: Texas

SShooter,

I think that the Luna Moth is one of the largest moths in North America but the Atlas lives in the Malay archipelago.

Bob

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Oh my God. How would you like to be born with not mouth. Poor things. I guess they better hurry to do what they are born to do.

Doddy Loc: Barnard Castle-England

Nice ones..a very unusual and (very big) Moth.

Mr. B Loc: eastern Connecticut

Sharpshooter,
I believe the cecropia moth is the largest with the polyphemus moth coming in second in the US. I had a couple of each in my collection when I was a kid. Both are as beautiful as the atlas moth.
Mr. B

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

That's one big moth!

iDoc Loc: Knoxville,Tennessee

Great shots of a most impressive moth!!

Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

Interesting shots and narrative.