Moths come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. While most are relatively small, some species can grow quite large with wingspans over 5 inches across. These large moths belong to several different families and are known by different common names depending on the specific type.
Giant Silkworm Moths
One of the most well-known groups of large moths are the giant silkworm moths. There are around 140 species in this family (Saturniidae) found all over the world. They are characterized by their large, heavy bodies and wingspans ranging from 3-6 inches across.
Some of the most common giant silkworm moths in North America include:
- Luna Moth – Pale green wings with long curving tails, wingspan of 4-5 inches
- Polyphemus Moth – Tan wings with large eyespots, wingspan up to 5 inches
- Cecropia Moth – Reddish brown wings with white and black markings, wingspan up to 6 inches
- Imperial Moth – Yellow wings with purple spots and pink bands, wingspan up to 5 inches
These moths don’t actually produce silk, despite their common name. The caterpillars of some species do spin silk cocoons however. The adult moths live for only about a week, emerging solely to mate before dying.
Royal Moths
Closely related to the giant silkworm moths are the royal moths (family Sphingidae). There are over 1,000 species of sphinx moths worldwide, most of which are medium to large in size with thick bodied and narrow wings. Some of the largest species have wingspans up to 6 inches across.
Some well-known royal moths include:
- Atlas Moth – One of the largest moths in the world, native to Asia, wingspan up to 10 inches
- White-lined Sphinx Moth – Tan wings with distinct white lines, wingspan up to 5 inches
- Catalpa Sphinx Moth – Gray wings with black and yellow bands, wingspan up to 4.5 inches
- Tersa Sphinx Moth – Mottled gray-brown wings, native to South America, wingspan up to 4 inches
Royal moths are characterized by their large, torpedo-shaped bodies and narrow wings. Many species have a long proboscis for sipping nectar from flowers. They get their common name from the caterpillars, which have a distinct “horn” on their hind end.
Atlas Moths
The Atlas moth (Attacus atlas) deserves special mention as one of the largest moths in the world. Found in the tropical forests of Asia, this giant silk moth has a wingspan of up to 10 inches across. Females are considerably larger than males.
These huge moths are a dull brown color, with fuzzy looking wings edged in a white and pink pattern. They have a very small proboscis and do not eat as adults, living only long enough to mate and lay eggs.
While not as long lived or widespread as their royal moth cousins, the Atlas moth’s massive size earns it a place as one of the giants of the moth world.
Giant Hawkmoths
The sphingidae or hawk moth family also includes some truly huge species in regions around the tropics. Several of the largest reach wingspans of 5-7 inches across.
A selection of giant tropical hawkmoths includes:
- White witch moth – long pink wings with white bands, up to 7 inch wingspan
- Madagascan moon moth – olive green wings with eyespots, wingspan up to 6 inches
- Oleander hawkmoth – pink and olive striped wings, wingspan up to 5 inches
- Ornate hindwing moth – pale green wings with red and white bands on hindwings, wingspan up to 6 inches
These tropical giants live in rainforest habitats where their massive size helps camouflage them in the dense vegetation. They emerge at night to feed on nectar from flowering trees and plants using their long proboscis.
Giant Wood Moths
Several types of very large moths also belong to the wood moth family (Cossidae). These include:
- Goat moth – Heavy bodied gray moth found across Europe, up to 3 inch wingspan
- Carpenterworm moth – Large moth native to North America, tan wings with dark spots, wingspan up to 5 inches
- Chinese oak moth – Pale tan wings with yellow bands found in Asia, wingspan up to 4 inches
The larvae of these species live and feed inside the wood and trunks of trees, giving them their common name. As adults they emerge to mate and lay eggs, but do not eat. They are characterized by their thick, heavyset bodies covered in hair-like scales.
Giant Tiger Moths
Several types of very woolly, heavy bodied moths make up the tiger moth family (Arctiidae). The largest reach wingspans of 3-4 inches.
A few giant tiger moths are:
- Giant leopard moth – Feline patterned black and white wings, found across Northern US and Canada, wingspan up to 4 inches
- Virginia tiger moth – Bright orange and black striped wings, native to Eastern US, wingspan up to 4 inches
- Garden tiger moth – Dark brown wings with cream stripes, found across Europe, Asia, and Africa, wingspan up to 3 inches
These big, furry moths are heavy bodied with contrasting light and dark markings in leopard or tiger-like patterns. As adults they live only 7-10 days, emerging to mate before dying. The caterpillars are covered in protective hairs.
Emperor Moths
A group of very large, brightly colored moths are known as the emperor moths (Saturniidae). These include some of the most spectacularly patterned moths.
Some emperor moths are:
- Polyphemus moth – Already mentioned, tan wings with large eyespots, up to 6 inch wingspan
- Io moth – Yellow-green wings with purplish eyespots, found across North America, wingspan up to 4 inches
- Cecropia moth – Brick red wings with white and black bands, one of the largest North American moths at 5-6 inch wingspan
- Atlas moth – Already covered, the largest moth species in the world, up to a 10 inch wingspan
These moths are defined by their large size, furry bodies, and vivid, complex wing patterns. They live only a week as adults before dying. Their caterpillars often mimic snakes with eye spots and projections.
Giant Owlet Moths
A final group of giants are the giant owlet moths (family Noctuidae). With over 35,000 species, this is one of the most diverse groups. The largest have up to a 4 inch wingspan.
Some giant owlets include:
- Death’s head hawkmoth – dark wings with yellow bands, best known for distinctive skull marking on thorax, up to 5 inch wingspan
- Pink underwing moth – rosy pink wings with bold black lines, wingspan up to 4 inches
- Great owl moth – mottled gray and brown camouflage wings, found across Northern US, wingspan up to 4 inches
These large moths are characterized by their thick, furry bodies and large owlish looking eyespots on the wings. They are active at night and hover hummingbird-like over flowers when feeding. Their caterpillars often resemble twigs or bark.
Conclusion
While most moths are tiny, a number of giant moth species exist around the world. These include the giant silkworm moths, royal moths, emperor moths, sphinx moths, wood moths, and owlet moths. The largest reach wingspans over 10 inches across!
These giant moth groups include some of the most spectacularly colored and patterned species in the world. They play important roles as pollinators in tropical ecosystems. So while they may give some people the creeps, these mammoth moths are truly wonders of the natural world.
| Moth Family | Examples | Wingspan | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giant silkworm moths | Luna moth, Cecropia moth | 3-6 inches | Worldwide |
| Royal moths | Atlas moth, White-lined sphinx | Up to 10 inches | Worldwide, mostly tropics |
| Giant hawkmoths | Madagascan moon moth, Oleander hawkmoth | 5-7 inches | Tropics |
| Giant wood moths | Goat moth, Carpenterworm | Up to 5 inches | North America, Europe, Asia |
| Giant tiger moths | Garden tiger, Virginia tiger moth | 3-4 inches | Worldwide |
| Emperor moths | Io moth, Atlas moth | Up to 10 inches | Worldwide |
| Giant owlet moths | Great owl moth, Pink underwing | Up to 4 inches | Worldwide |