Giant Moth Sighting: Updated (Captured)
Posted by: Loren Coleman on October 22nd, 2010
This moth is in the news again, on October 21, 2010, with one being captured and it causing a tourist attraction in the Central Province in Vietnam.
Earlier…
Sometimes even cryptid insects make it into cryptozoology studies. There has been a sighting of an extraordinarily large Atlas moth (Attacus atlas).
By mere chance, the International Cryptozoology Museum this week added a new specimen of the Atlas moth to its “cabinet of curiosities” display area (shown below).
The Times of India has published this article on September 24, 2010:
Sameer Talekar and his family had a surprise visitor this Ganesh Chaturthi, when the world’s largest moth in terms of total wing span, the Atlas moth (Attacus atlas), halted briefly at their house in Betki, Ponda, last week, creating quite a buzz.
Folklorist Kanta Gawde, 53, who was attending the Ganesh celebrations at the Talekar residence when the moth alighted on the matoli (fruit and vegetable canopy above the Ganesh idol) said, “It was exciting to see an Atlas moth perch on the banana flower in the house.” Such moths are normally not seen in Betki, making this sighting all the more memorable. With a normal wingspan of 10 to 12 inches, the Atlas moth at Talekar’s house is estimated to be about 13 inches in size. “It wasn’t possible to physically measure its wingspan as this could injure it,” Talekar said.
Wikipedia states that a record specimen of the Atlas moth from Java measured 262 mm or 10.3 inches. Those who saw the Atlas moth in Talekar’s house last week claim it was definitely larger.
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
13 inches? Wow it’s a behemoth. Otherwise I like its color patterns and I believe its caterpillar gets very large as well.
Beautiful!
LOL Krimeg! 🙂
A beho moth!
Hmm, well I would say that there is indeed the possibility of a moth of this type even larger than the current record holder, however since the specimen could not be captured and measured it sure does seem like a size misidentification in the range of one inch is certainly possible. 12 inches, 13 inches, without an accurate measurement it is hard to say whether based on the witness size estimation we have an actual record breaker here.
Still, that is a huge moth. I can’t say I’d really like having one of those flopping around my porch light at night.
That’s a lot of protein.. Don’t let Bear Grylls see it.
Reminds me of Silent Hill…
The Giant Moth Boss in the game hehe… 😉
Well good for them and hurray for giant moths and all that…
Just don’t let that bug *anywhere* near me >_<
You think the moth is big? Look at the size of the egg it has just laid in the last picture!!!
ROFL sausage1! I actually laughed out loud so hubby is looking at me.