Stats

Lifespan: 1-2 weeks
Size: Huge
Diet: Herbivore
Activity: Nocturnal
Social: Solitary
Biome: Tropical rainforest
Range: Southeast Asia
Movement: Flight
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Camouflage
Status: Uncommon

About

One of the largest moths in the world, with a wingspan that can exceed 25 cm. The tips of its wings are patterned to resemble snake heads — a striking adaptation thought to deter predators.

Life cycle

1.
egg
A tiny ribbed egg laid on the underside of a host-plant leaf, hatching within days.
2.
caterpillar
A voracious caterpillar feeds and molts through several instars, growing rapidly.
3.
cocoon
A silk cocoon spun in leaf litter or soil while the body remodels into a winged adult.
4.
moth
A winged adult with feathery antennae and scaled wings, most active after dark.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Saturniidae
Genus: Attacus
Species: Attacus atlas