World's Largest Butterfly
The Atlas moth
(Attacus atlas) is a large saturniid moth found in the tropical and
subtropical forests of Southeast Asia, southern China, common across the Malay archipelago, Thailand to Indonesia.
In India, Atlas moths
are cultivated for their silk in a non-commercial capacity; unlike that
produced by the related Silkworm moth (Bombyx mori), Atlas moth silk is secreted
as broken strands. This brown, wool-like silk is thought to have greater
durability and is known as fagara. Atlas moth cocoons have been employed as
purses in Taiwan.
