Attacus taprobanis-Kadavoor-2018-07-13-001

Description:

Attacus taprobanis is a moth of Saturniidae family. It is native to southern India and Sri Lanka. This species is very similar in morphology to the much more widely distributed Attacus atlas. It was once considered a subspecies of A. atlas. Here the larva feed on Swietenia macrophylla and later started to pupate by making a cocoon on 13 June 2018. The larva spun a 7-8 cm long papery cocoon interwoven with a leaf. It cut the petiole and attach it to the stem using a strand of silk prior to pupate. This is to prevent accidental falling of the desiccated leaf. The color of the dried leaf matches with the cocoon to offer enough camouflage. The adult female moth emerged from the cocoon as photographed here on 13 July 2018. The male emerged on 07 July 2018 returned immediately to mate with her.
Females are sexually passive, releasing powerful pheromones through a gland on the end of the abdomen to attract a mate. The female does not stray far from the location of her discarded cocoon. She seeks out a perch where the air currents will best carry her pheromones. Males can detect and home in on these pheromones from several kilometers away using chemoreceptors located on their feathery antennae. The wingspan of male is about 180-200mm and female is about 200–220 mm.