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The Giant Moths of Australia
The Giant Wood Moth (Endoxyla cinereus) is the heaviest moth in the world. Females can weigh up to 30 grams and boast a wingspan of roughly 23 cm (9 inches). Found along the east coast of Australia, adults are harmless, do not feed, and live for just a few days.
Fascinating Facts
- The Larval Stage: Before metamorphosis, the larvae bore into the trunks of Eucalyptus trees. They can grow up to 15 cm in length and spend one to three years developing inside the tree.
- Witchetty Grubs: These plump caterpillars are a traditional source of bush tucker for Indigenous Australians and can be eaten raw or cooked.
- No Mouths: Adult Giant Wood Moths do not have functional mouthparts. They survive solely off energy reserves built up while they were caterpillars.
Other Giant Australian Moths
Australia is home to several other incredibly massive moth species, often confused with the Giant Wood Moth:
- Hercules Moth (Coscinocera hercules): Found in northern Queensland, it holds the record for the largest wingspan of any moth in Australia (up to 27 cm). The female's massive, teardrop-shaped wings make it a spectacular sight.
- Australian Emperor Moth (Opodiphthera eucalypti): Also known as the Gum Moth, it features large "eyes" on its wings to deter predators and boasts a wingspan that can reach up to 15 cm.
- Bent-wing Moths (Hepialidae): Often called swift moths, certain species grow quite large and spend their larval stages feeding inside the roots or stems of living trees.
- Bogong Moth (Noctuidae). Are well-known for their mass migrations in spring. Has just been added as an endangered species.Their populations have been declining since the 1980s, but in 2017 and 2019 there was a crash in numbers because of drought in regions where moth larvae grow: leaving them without the nutrients from plants. Each spring, Bogong moths emerge from beneath the soil of the Darling River plains in Queensland, New South Wales and Western Victoria, and navigate their way to the Apline region. This journey can be more than 1000 kilometres.
