India, China, Indonesia) and you won't find the atlas moth in North or South America. Of course they also need large wings in order to lift and fly their large bodies around.Īccording to the literature, this moth is only found in Southeast Asia (e.g., Since they don't feed in the adult stage, maybe they need anĮxtra large body to hold everything they are going to need for reproduction. Perhaps this is why their bodies are so large. The main purpose of the adult stage of Saturniidae moths is to reproduce. The adult moths don't feed or even have functional mouths. One interesting fact about all moths from the family Saturniidae is that they do all of their eating during their larval stage. If you have more questions about breeding and rearing, we will be happy to help you further.Atlas moths belong to the family Saturniidae, which includes many other large moth species (e.g., luna moths,Ĭrecropia moths, Io moths, and many others). Adults emergence is quite unpredictable and can be forced by increasing the temperature over 26C. We suggest to buy at least 8-10 cocoons, to increase the possibilities of a mating. Given their short lifespan, the hardest part of breeding this large moth species is having a couple emerging together. Warm environment is needed to make the male active and ensure a successful copula. Pairing Attacus atlas is relatively easy in medium size cage with no need to use the handpairing technique. Attacus atlas eggs, the cycle starts again If you want to emulate their native climate conditions, remember to check their local climate (Phrae, Thailand). Keep the cocoons at room temperature, which is fine for them, and spray them often with water. Once the adult exits the cocoon, it is able to climb the cage wall autonomously in order to spread it’s large wings. Hanging them is possible but not necessary for their proper emergence. atlas moth cocoons will came to your home inside a safe box, remove them as soon as possible and put them on the bottom of a rearing cage.
#Atlas moth how to#
Reared on Ligustrum ovalifolium Attacus atlas, how to care about cocoons Giant Atlas moth caterpillar at the final instar, L6. Here we explain how to care about giant Atlas moth cocoons once you have received them at home. Rearing and breeding Attacus atlasīreeding and rearing Lepidoptera in general is broadly explained in our Lepidoptera breeding section, visit it to discover the fantastic world of butterflies and moth in captivity. You can buy them from today, don’t miss the opportunity to rear such an incredible moth species.
We offer stunning and large Attacus atlas cocoons from Thailand for sale in our shop. A single pupae can weight up to 18-19g and, after emergence, it can lay more than 300 eggs. Thai atlas have bright colors and more thin terminal tips of the forewings. Thailand population is the biggest in terms of wingspan (we have seen many specimen above 26cm), they score records in terms of pupal weight and number of eggs laid. Despite being fairly common in captive broods, obtaining an healthy stock has become quite difficult. Their product is a rough and woolly silk, which is used as an alternative to the conventional fibers obtained by the mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori.Īttacus atlas adult female, very large and beautiful specimen emerged at the Time To Breed facility.
In some areas of this region, as Indonesia, they are extensively reared for the production of silk fibers, called wild silk. Although more than 20 species and subspecies are present in the genus Attacus, the giant Atlas moth, Attacus atlas, is native to the tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia. Like the other members within the Saturniidae moth family, adults do not have functional mouth parts and can only live for a few days, generally from 4 to 8. In the following article, you will find brief but useful information on how to rear Attacus atlas starting from our cocoons which are available again in our shop. Captive breeding and rearing of the giant Atlas moth it is quite easy to successfully obtain. In addition, it’s wings display bright colors and an attractive pattern.
Well, Attacus atlas is one of the largest moths on earth and it’s wingspan can reach up to 30cm, being the females normally larger compared to the males. Why is it so much appreciated by insect breeders and collectors? Attacus atlas, the giant Atlas moth, is one of the most famous Lepidoptera species worldwide, being known also outside the entomologist’s niche.