Atlas Moth Encounter

Date CapturedAugust 31st, 2016 at 10:46 UTCCameraSM-G9208Apertureƒ / 1.9Shutter Speed1/17 secFocal Length4.3 mmISO1000Exposure Value5.9 EVOriginal Size1200 × 675

Last week I went out for a day of exploration with Josh Ellis who brought me to the excellent Lǎotóubǎi Hakka Restaurant (老頭擺客家餐廳 in Longtan, Taoyuan. This restaurant is operated out of an old farmhouse (or sanheyuan, a traditional Taiwanese courtyard home) so I wandered around to take a look at each room before our meal arrived. Stepping out into the courtyard an employee gestured toward a giant moth perched on the leg of a chair. I had seen Neil Wade post one just like it on Facebook a few days prior to this so I wasn’t exactly surprised—but wow is it ever big!

Date CapturedAugust 31st, 2016 at 10:47 UTCCameraSM-G9208Apertureƒ / 1.9Shutter Speed1/20 secFocal Length4.3 mmISO1000Exposure Value6.2 EVOriginal Size1200 × 675

I have since read up on this creature and learned that the Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas formosanus) is one of the largest in the world. In Chinese they are known as the Emperor Moth (皇蛾) or Snakehead Moth (蛇頭蛾) from the distinctive pattern on the wingtips. After emergence the adult only lives a few days. Here in northern Taiwan there are two mating seasons, one in May and June and the other in August and September, so it’s no surprise that we’d be seeing them now. Apparently Atlas moths were commercially exploited in Taiwan in the 1970s but I haven’t seen much evidence of this from a bit of sleuthing around. Anyway, I hope to see one of these majestic organisms again!