Finally: Gorgeous Atlas Moth Emerges!

A beautiful, long awaited Atlas moth has emerged from its cocoon after a two-month wait. This species is the largest type of moth in the world. Ours has a wingspan of about eight inches. Its lifespan is only about two weeks, so now is the time to see it, along with scores of butterflies in our warm, lush, indoor garden.

You also can see our 19 Atlas moth cocoons in our pupa room, and we may have more emerging soon.

The dessert-plate sized moth’s appearance on Sunday was much anticipated. The cocoons of this Southeast Asian species arrived in December, and the moths were expected to emerge in about 10 days. Visitors who had seen Atlas moths in our live Butterflies exhibit in November consistently asked our exhibit staff and volunteers when we would have more.

In mid-January, butterfly expert Robert Michael Pyle, author of Mariposa Road: the First Butterfly Big Year, visited and confirmed that the pupas were with still alive, and so we waited, and waited and waited, watching the brown, cigar-like cocoons for activity.

Once Atlas moths emerge, their lives are short, but purposeful. They are born with no mouths. They live off the fat of their bodies, reproduce, and die. They aren’t great flyers.

“They aren’t as agile as the smaller moths and butterflies,” says Dana Whitelaw, vice president of programs. “They look kind of like a Volkswagen bus coming at you.”

Yet the intricately patterned blue, yellow and orange moth has been an ambassador for moths.

“Typically, our connection to nocturnal things that come flying at us is that it’s scary or ‘icky,’ ” says Whitelaw. “It is very human to associate things at night as being bad.”

Today, as visitors of all ages peered with wonder at this mega-moth and the cocoons, it was clear they will never consider a moth in the same way again.

The live Butterflies exhibit runs through March 26.

Photo credit: High Desert Museum Photography Volunteer Abbott Schindler