WHEN YOU
LOOK
Western Bluebird
The Atlas Moth: Magnificence, Tragedy, and Legacies
When you look at this atlas moth, you see the reason for survival.
Native to southern and southeastern Asia, the atlas moth is one of the world’s largest moths, with a wingspan of up to 25 centimeters in females and 23 centimeters in males. The wings have a pattern that resembles a snake head; which the moth uses as a deterrent for predators. This wing pattern is even the inspiration for the atlas moth's Cantonese name, which translates to "snake's head moth."
Atlas Moth (Attacus Atlas)
The moth begins its life as a larva, where its main purpose is to eat enough food in order to survive for a sufficient period of time as an adult. This is necessary because adult atlas moths do not have mouths to eat; they must survive on the fat stores they built as larvae. Because of their limited energy supply, atlas moths rarely fly and only survive for about 10 days, in which time they must reproduce.
An atlas moth caterpillar, or larva
One of the Atlas Moth’s main interactions with humans comes in the form of the silk industry. The atlas moth cocoon is made of strong, brown strands of silk called fagara. In Taiwan, these cocoons are sometimes used to make purses, while in other places they are used to make durable and brightly colored silk clothing, particularly by the Uygur people of China who have been following the tradition for over 1000 years.
An atlas moth cocoon, made of fagara
The atlas moth survives in order to leave behind a legacy, whether that be its silk or its offspring. The moth's contribution to the world does not come from a huge action it performs during its life; rather, it comes from what the moth leaves behind. The way in which the atlas moth is remembered defines the reason for survival.
Created by Natalie Warr
The atlas moths in the Orma J. Smith Natural History Museum