Hercules Moth, Coscinocera hercules, male

[papilio_]

I received a few cocoons of this wonderful moth several years ago, from an importer who told me he could get me a Bengal tiger if I wanted one. No thanks.

Depending on how one measures, this is perhaps the world's largest insect ... the females are considerably larger than the males, but don't have those cool tails.

Coscinocera hercules, male

 

[dmina]

OMG... That moth is beautiful... Guess it's not mantis food... how big is it?... These photos make them look huge... I have learned my lesson with photo's.. hehe

You were not interested in the tiger??? I bet you could have taken some amazing photo's of that.... or not...

 

[dmina]

And that cloth behind that moth... Did you just happen to have that laying around? The color accent so well...

 

[papilio_]

I think it looked even larger in real life ... I didn't take the trouble to measure, but I'd say about an eight or nine-inch wingspan (when measured with the top edges of the forewings in line as in the last photo).

Yeah, just dumb luck with the framed tie-dye. I'd bought that many years ago on a family vacation in Door County.

 

[Digger]

Wow. Astounding! Superb images and your macros are breathtaking. Very nice work.

 

[papilio_]

Thanks a lot Digger, I appreciate it very much! It was such a lovely moth, especially with the intense, lush colors which Saturniid moths have when freshly eclosed.

 

[CosbyArt]

Depending on how one measures, this is perhaps the world's largest insect ... the females are considerably larger than the males, but don't have those cool tails.

Hmm, have you seen the Atlas moth? Attacus atlas - it's listed as the world's largest moth, it measures 11.8" (30 cm) in wingspan.

Either way, much more impressive than the Luna Moth (Actias luna) that I see occasionally outside during summer. Even more impressive you raised it from a cocoon so congrats on that alone.

Amazing pictures Papilio, thanks for the sharing! I like the tie dye too, really matches your moth.

 

[papilio_]

Thanks a lot CosbyArt!

That's why I said "Depending on how one measures ..." A. atlas wins by wingspan, while an average female C. hercules typically has a slighter greater total wing area. But both are massive, astonishing and incredibly beautiful insects. I think that the herc is a somewhat cooler moth, probably only because of a photo which I saw of a female in a Nat Geo photo book at my grandmother's house ... it was the first time I saw a truly huge moth, and I'll never forget the impression that image left on me.

I've also hatched these two, A. atlas and A. mittrei, very spectacular creatures as well! (These are relatively old photos, taken with a cheap PnS Olympus which my brother was throwing away, so I hope nobody will be too critical of the quality ... it was the germ of my present passion for macro photography. )

No congrats necessary, but thanks all the same! All I did was wait for these imported cocoons to hatch.





Ah, the Luna ... surely my favorite domestic Saturniid. We didn't have them locally on the Minnesota farm on which I grew up, but in college I raised over 100 Luna caterpillars to adults, you should see how it looks to have 100 ethereal green Luna moths all at once filling a dorm room!

 

[CosbyArt]

Thanks a lot CosbyArt!

That's why I said "Depending on how one measures ..." A. atlas wins by wingspan, while an average female C. hercules typically has a slighter greater total wing area. But both are massive, astonishing and incredibly beautiful insects. I think that the herc is a somewhat cooler moth, probably only because of a photo which I saw of a female in a Nat Geo photo book at my grandmother's house ... it was the first time I saw a truly huge moth, and I'll never forget the impression that image left on me.

I've also hatched these two, A. atlas and A. mittrei, very spectacular creatures as well! (These are relatively old photos, taken with a cheap PnS Olympus which my brother was throwing away, so I hope nobody will be too critical of the quality ... it was the germ of my present passion for macro photography. )

No congrats necessary, but thanks all the same! All I did was wait for these imported cocoons to hatch.

Ah, the Luna ... surely my favorite domestic Saturniid. We didn't have them locally on the Minnesota farm on which I grew up, but in college I raised over 100 Luna caterpillars to adults, you should see how it looks to have 100 ethereal green Luna moths all at once filling a dorm room!

Yeah I see what you mean, even the source I linked too said it wasn't the largest total wing size just span. Plus I imagine measuring a preserved specimen would allow a larger span as well (especially one that was damaged or "fudged" for a better measurement) or the occasional giant offspring that can occur.

I agree the hercules is a beautiful species. I personally like the wing style, as it running full length down like the Luna moth. Likely why I thought to mention the Luna moth to start with.

I could see how a Nat Geo image could do that. I fondly remember viewing huge stacks of them at a local thrift store as a kid, I'd sit in the aisle and sprawl them across the whole area. Seems they never could sell them as they were there every time my grandma and us would go there. The only things that stand out for me from the images are various landscapes and especially photos of Jupiter and Saturn. Of course my mom would complain about the African native "nuidies" which never interested me anyway.

No complaints here, seems that Olympus camera takes better shots than my current budget camera. It always amazes me what is thrown away, as most electronics work perfectly fine (at least what I rescued through the years). Really great pearlescent colors on the first photo, and interesting wing "tips".

Yes the Luna is a personal favorite for me too due to it's color and style, and it's gotta be the largest in my area. Only once have I seen one near their size outside but it was completely different, no idea what species it was (but was in a forest area). 100 adults would be absolutely stunning to have seen! Best I've seen were 3 at once on the side of building right before dawn, and I thought that was a wonderful sight.

 

[dmina]

OMG... I could not imagine 100 of them flying around... it must have been breathtaking! I only see white moths .. I think if I would have seen that.. I would have thought it was some kind of butterfly.. :blush:

 

[papilio_]

Yeah I see what you mean, even the source I linked too said it wasn't the largest total wing size just span. Plus I imagine measuring a preserved specimen would allow a larger span as well (especially one that was damaged or "fudged" for a better measurement) or the occasional giant offspring that can occur.

I agree the hercules is a beautiful species. I personally like the wing style, as it running full length down like the Luna moth. Likely why I thought to mention the Luna moth to start with.

I could see how a Nat Geo image could do that. I fondly remember viewing huge stacks of them at a local thrift store as a kid, I'd sit in the aisle and sprawl them across the whole area. Seems they never could sell them as they were there every time my grandma and us would go there. The only things that stand out for me from the images are various landscapes and especially photos of Jupiter and Saturn. Of course my mom would complain about the African native "nuidies" which never interested me anyway.

No complaints here, seems that Olympus camera takes better shots than my current budget camera. It always amazes me what is thrown away, as most electronics work perfectly fine (at least what I rescued through the years). Really great pearlescent colors on the first photo, and interesting wing "tips".

Yes the Luna is a personal favorite for me too due to it's color and style, and it's gotta be the largest in my area. Only once have I seen one near their size outside but it was completely different, no idea what species it was (but was in a forest area). 100 adults would be absolutely stunning to have seen! Best I've seen were 3 at once on the side of building right before dawn, and I thought that was a wonderful sight.

My grandparents had stacks of National Geographic in the back bedroom too, and I'd lie on the floor pouring through them just as you describe. I'm sure that by now that's a lost pleasure, just go online for everything.

That camera was my first experience of digital imaging, it was so great to just click away and not have to wait for the images to get back from the drugstore. But it was indeed broken, the rear LCD was cracked so I had to look through the viewfinder. ( ... Boy I'm sounding old!)

You've probably watched Lunas fluttering around beneath a streetlight too, even from a distance the tails are immediately obvious and the moths lit up like that at night really look like ghosts ... as I mentioned I didn't have them growing up so it was a thrill when I finally did see several of them under a light one night.

Particularly evident on the Atlas Moth, the hooks on those wings really do look uncannily like snakes!

OMG... I could not imagine 100 of them flying around... it must have been breathtaking! I only see white moths .. I think if I would have seen that.. I would have thought it was some kind of butterfly.. :blush:

I've noticed how "moth" brings up only the image you describe to many people ... Saturniids are not common sights, but how remarkable they are! Many of my T friends consider the mantids' lifespans of a year or less to be not worth the trouble but I think that forces us to enjoy them more while we have them, and I've found this to be even more so the case with the Giant Silkmoths who live for only about a week as adults.

 

[CosbyArt]

My grandparents had stacks of National Geographic in the back bedroom too, and I'd lie on the floor pouring through them just as you describe. I'm sure that by now that's a lost pleasure, just go online for everything.

That camera was my first experience of digital imaging, it was so great to just click away and not have to wait for the images to get back from the drugstore. But it was indeed broken, the rear LCD was cracked so I had to look through the viewfinder. ( ... Boy I'm sounding old!)

You've probably watched Lunas fluttering around beneath a streetlight too, even from a distance the tails are immediately obvious and the moths lit up like that at night really look like ghosts ... as I mentioned I didn't have them growing up so it was a thrill when I finally did see several of them under a light one night.

Particularly evident on the Atlas Moth, the hooks on those wings really do look uncannily like snakes!

glad to se eI wasn't the only one doing that with the mags. Printed materials aren't like they were for sure. Heck, I have a Nat Geo set of all past mag issues on a 5 CD disk set. The pictures are still great to look at though.

The drugstore prints (we had Osco and Hooks, both *long* gone), I remember when 1-hour development came to town - even with regular 1 week send off to develop them, it was rather expensive. I often had shot rolls of film sitting around until Christmas or my birthday to get them developed. As a kid 110 film was my favorite, and I found the same model of camera I had back then last year at a store used for $3 (it even has a roll of film with some shots left in it).

Yeah viewfinders are great, but I find myself using one less (and many new cameras don't even have them now). At least it was broken in that aspect, but seemed it did you some good. My first digital camera was a Sony Digital Mavica MVC-FD5, that my dad bought from Dell. Heck it recorded straight to floppy disks haha. I still have it and it works (battery and all), although I should get a USB floppy drive for it sometime to see how it holds up today.

I did see many as kid growing-up in the rural country. Seems in this small city I live in now any wildlife is rather limited. I've only seen one Luna here in my 5 years. Although I remember fondly the color they give off.

Weird, to me when I think "moth" I think of a reddish or brownish color moth with bright wing "eyes", as they are the most common in my area (especially growing up). A white one is a rarity, and I've seen more white butterflies than moths and that isn't many.

 

[Peter Clausen]

Great photos! I'm hoping to see the Hercules someday. I eclosed mittrei and atlas years ago and still find reason to pop open the silkmoth rearer's handbook now and then. More focused on the little non-descript moths in my own backyard lately and for the next few years probably, but always great to see photos of amazing exotics. Many people probably have no idea how amazing the US moth fauna is, though you sometimes have to squint to see the beauty.

 

[papilio_]

Thanks a lot Peter! Yes, the Hercules was quite a thrill I can tell you.

I know, whenever people would see the Saturniids in my collection and I'd tell them that they are moths, not butterflies, they'd be quite surprised and amazed. I think that Saturniids are my favorite Lepidoptera, or at least on par with Ornithoptera.

 

[Bugmankeith]

Thanks a lot CosbyArt!

That's why I said "Depending on how one measures ..." A. atlas wins by wingspan, while an average female C. hercules typically has a slighter greater total wing area. But both are massive, astonishing and incredibly beautiful insects. I think that the herc is a somewhat cooler moth, probably only because of a photo which I saw of a female in a Nat Geo photo book at my grandmother's house ... it was the first time I saw a truly huge moth, and I'll never forget the impression that image left on me.

I've also hatched these two, A. atlas and A. mittrei, very spectacular creatures as well! (These are relatively old photos, taken with a cheap PnS Olympus which my brother was throwing away, so I hope nobody will be too critical of the quality ... it was the germ of my present passion for macro photography. )

No congrats necessary, but thanks all the same! All I did was wait for these imported cocoons to hatch.





That's a comet moth not a luna

Ah, the Luna ... surely my favorite domestic Saturniid. We didn't have them locally on the Minnesota farm on which I grew up, but in college I raised over 100 Luna caterpillars to adults, you should see how it looks to have 100 ethereal green Luna moths all at once filling a dorm room!

 

[brancsikia339]

They're gorgeous! I've had many atlas and nudaurelia krucki hatch out but my luck with these wasn't the same. I had eggs and only two hatched (which unexpectedly died after eating their first meal)