List of moths of Australia (Saturniidae) facts for kids

The Saturniidae family is a group of amazing moths often called giant silk moths. These moths are known for their large size and beautiful, colorful wings. Australia is home to several species of these incredible insects. This article will introduce you to some of the giant silk moths found across Australia.

What are Giant Silk Moths?

Giant silk moths are some of the biggest moths in the world! Their wings can spread out very wide, sometimes as much as 30 centimeters (about 12 inches). They often have striking patterns and "eyespots" on their wings. These spots can look like big eyes, which might scare away predators like birds.

Unlike many other insects, adult giant silk moths don't have working mouths. This means they can't eat! They live off the energy they stored as caterpillars. Their main job as adults is to find a mate and lay eggs. Because they can't eat, adult moths only live for a short time, usually just a few days or weeks.

Life Cycle of a Giant Moth

Giant silk moths go through a complete life cycle with four main stages:

• Egg: The female moth lays tiny eggs, often on the leaves of specific plants.
• Larva (Caterpillar): Once the eggs hatch, out come the caterpillars! These caterpillars are usually large and can be very colorful. They spend their time munching on leaves, growing bigger and bigger. They shed their skin several times as they grow.
• Pupa (Cocoon): When a caterpillar is fully grown, it stops eating and builds a protective case around itself. This case is called a cocoon, and it's often made of silk. Inside the cocoon, the caterpillar transforms into a pupa. This is a resting stage where amazing changes happen.
• Adult Moth: After weeks or months, the pupa transforms into a beautiful adult moth. The moth then breaks out of its cocoon, dries its wings, and flies off to find a mate.

Where Do Australian Giant Moths Live?

In Australia, you can find giant silk moths in various habitats, especially in forests and woodlands. The caterpillars of these moths often feed on the leaves of native Australian trees and shrubs. For example, the famous Emperor Gum Moth caterpillar loves to eat the leaves of eucalyptus trees.

Meet Some Australian Giant Moths

Australia is home to some truly impressive giant silk moths. Here are a few notable ones:

• Hercules Moth (Coscinocera hercules): This is the largest moth in Australia, and one of the largest in the world! Its wingspan can be over 25 centimeters (10 inches). It lives in the rainforests of Queensland and New Guinea.
• Emperor Gum Moth (Opodiphthera eucalypti): This is one of the most well-known Australian giant moths. Its caterpillars are large, green, and spiky, and they love to eat eucalyptus leaves. The adult moths have beautiful brown and cream patterns with large eyespots.
• Atlas Moth (Attacus wardi): While the true Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas) is found in Asia, Australia has a close relative called Attacus wardi. These moths are also very large and have striking patterns.

List of Australian Giant Silk Moths

Here is a list of the giant silk moth species found in Australia:

• Attacus wardi Rothschild, 1910
• Coscinocera hercules (Miskin, 1876)
• Opodiphthera astrophela (Walker, 1855)
• Opodiphthera carnea (Sonthonnax, 1899)
• Opodiphthera engaea (Turner, 1922)
• Opodiphthera eucalypti (Scott, 1864)
• Opodiphthera excavus Lane, 1995
• Opodiphthera fervida Jordan, 1910
• Opodiphthera helena (White, 1843)
• Opodiphthera loranthi (T.P. Lucas, 1891)
• Opodiphthera rhythmica (Turner, 1936)
• Opodiphthera saccopoea (Turner, 1924)
• Opodiphthera sulphurea (Naumann, 2003)
• Samia cynthia (Drury, 1773)
• Syntherata janetta (White, 1843)
• Syntherata leonae (Lane, 2003)