Of all the animals that have visited our garden over the last 4 years I don't think I have ever been quite so surprised by anything as much as the Attacus Atlas, the massive moth, that was resting on our front door last night. Attacus Atlas is typically found in the tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia. As we are not really very close to a rain forest it is perhaps surprising to find such a specimen close to the urban environment of Udon Thani.
I have never seen an Attacus Atlas before and indeed was not even aware of their existence but I am so pleased to have discovered this "little" beauty. Little is actually a very bad word to use as Attacus Atlas is the second largest species of moth in the world, behind the Hercules Moth of New Guinea and parts of Northern Australia. With a wingspan of up to nearly 10 inches it is an impressive sight. This one was "just" 9 1/2 inches across the wings so perhaps not fully grown. These large moths are female, which grow larger than the males of the species.
This moth was very docile and offered little resistance to being picked up other than to try and hold on to the surface she was rested on, and she did actually have some strength in those legs and feet but once in my hands was settled once again and posed for the camera. When removing her from the hands she put up another brave fight, desperately clinging to my fingers but eventually we managed to get her to rest somewhere more convenient for us.
Sadly I think she may be on the way out of this life as she has now been hanging around the house for nearly 24 hours and does not seem to have the same amount of strength in her wings as she did in her legs, so I am not expecting her to fly off anytime soon.
The Attacus Atlas does not have a mouth (I looked and could not see one, so that is verified) so only live for a about a week at the most so to breed as they cannot eat anything. All their energy comes from the food eaten as a caterpillar and these caterpillars are ravenous.
You will notice that on either wing there appears to be two large "windows" and one smaller one. These are very thin layers of transparent tissue that are soft and vulnerable. In fairness the whole wing is quite delicate and vulnerable. Should you find one and want to pick it up, do so by placing your hands under the wings and gently lift until it releases it's grip on whatever it was perched on.
Sadly I think she may be on the way out of this life as she has now been hanging around the house for nearly 24 hours and does not seem to have the same amount of strength in her wings as she did in her legs, so I am not expecting her to fly off anytime soon.
The Attacus Atlas does not have a mouth (I looked and could not see one, so that is verified) so only live for a about a week at the most so to breed as they cannot eat anything. All their energy comes from the food eaten as a caterpillar and these caterpillars are ravenous.
You will notice that on either wing there appears to be two large "windows" and one smaller one. These are very thin layers of transparent tissue that are soft and vulnerable. In fairness the whole wing is quite delicate and vulnerable. Should you find one and want to pick it up, do so by placing your hands under the wings and gently lift until it releases it's grip on whatever it was perched on.