Atlas Moth details

These huge Atlas Moths always amaze me. I don't get to see one very often - at the Calgary Zoo - and they are often on a messy background, which is OK for a macro shot The antennae are quite amazing, I think. Taken on 8th September 2011.

"The Atlas moth (Attacus atlas) is a large saturniid moth found in the tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia, and common across the Malay archipelago. Atlas moths are considered the largest moths in the world in terms of total wing surface area [upwards of c. 400 cm2 (62 sq in)]. Their wingspans are also amongst the largest, reaching over 25 cm (10 in). Females are appreciably larger and heavier.

Atlas moths are said to be named after either the Titan of Greek mythology, or their map-like wing patterns. In Hong Kong the Cantonese name translates as "snake's head moth", referring to apical extension of the forewing, which bears a passing resemblance to a snake's head."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attacus_atlas