Sent when ready in June or July and sometimes before. Giant atlas moths simply have to be seen to be believed! Majestic and magnificent, they can easily be mistaken for birds in their native habitat, and atttacus atlas is certainly one of the largest examples of any butterfly or moth on the planet. The larvae are polyphagous in the wild and seem to enjoy switching foods, often wandering from one food source to another. They do very well on privet in captivity and take a variety of fruit trees. All stages of the life-cycle require warmth and humidity. A relatively easy species to rear if larvae are thinned out sufficiently at appropriate times.
Larval foodplants: privet (ligustrum), willow (salix), lilac (syringia), apple (malus), plum (prunus) and many others.
Rearing: plastic boxes, vivariums and cages.
Photographs: egg pair x 20 magnification; newly hatched larvae x 20 magnification; second instar larvae feeding; adult female at rest (wings closed); adult female at rest (wings open).
