Atlas moth: The giant moth whose wings look like a snake's head

The Atlas moth is one of the most spectacular moths on Earth: with its wings spread, it reaches nearly 30 centimetres across — bigger than many birds. When it rests in a tree it disguises itself as a snake's head, fooling its enemies. Let's meet this seemingly fierce but gentle giant moth.

Its body

The Atlas moth's wings are broad and thick. Each of its four wings carries a transparent "window", and the markings at the two wingtips come together to look like a snake's face — that is its disguise: it stays perfectly still while resting, startling anything that gets close. Its colours are warm reddish-brown with white and dark lines.

Its caterpillars feed on the leaves of tallow tree, camphor, cinnamon and similar trees, and spin thick, tough cocoons that are gathered in India to weave durable "fagara" silk.

Where it lives and what it eats

The most striking thing is that the adult Atlas moth has no working mouthparts at all. It never eats — it lives for only a week or two on the fat stored during its caterpillar stage, spending all its energy on finding a mate and laying eggs. Its life is short, but it completes the most important task of its kind.

A note for grown-ups

You could look for the "snake's head" on its wings with a child: up close, it is just a pattern. Helping a child tell apart "what it looks like" and "what it really is" is a great way to understand camouflage — sometimes looking frightening is simply a way to stay safe.