(ANN/THE CHINA DAILY) – The world’s largest moth, the Attacus atlas, was recently discovered in Hezhou, a city in South China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
A team of entomologists from Guangxi Normal University encountered this impressive insect during an insect diversity survey at the Guangxi Daguishan Crocodile Lizard National Nature Reserve.
Professor Deng Wei’an from the university’s College of Life Sciences reported that the moth has a wingspan of 23 centimetres (cm), with the species identification confirmed by lepidopterist Professor Jia Fenghai.
Professor Deng shared that there are over 150,000 species of moths globally, with more than 7,000 species found in China and over 1,000 in Guangxi alone.
He noted, “Guangxi is home to many unique moth species. While they may not be as large, species like the long-tailed silk moth are quite remarkable. However, specific data on these species have yet to be fully compiled.”
Attacus atlas, commonly known as the Atlas moth, can have a wingspan of 30cm and a wing area of nearly 400 square cm, featuring prominent triangular transparent regions on both forewings and hindwings.
Unique serpent-like patterns adorn the tips of the forewings, which are believed to serve as a deterrent to predators.
The Atlas moth predominantly inhabits a number of Southeast Asian countries and regions in China such as Guangxi and the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian. However, wild populations in China are scarce, leading to the inclusion of the Atlas moth in the country’s list of terrestrial wildlife protected by the State.
As environmental degradation persists in many regions, the wild population of the Atlas moth continues to dwindle.
The Guangxi Daguishan nature reserve was established in April 2005 and elevated to a national nature reserve in 2013.
