Coscinocera hercules

Coscinocera hercules (Miskin, 1876)
(one synonym : Attacus omphale)
Hercules or Atlas Moth
SATURNIIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley & Michael Cermak

(updated 18 March 2005)

(Photo: copyright of Mike Cermak)

This Caterpillar produces the largest moth found in Australia. The scientific name is presumably taken from the ancient Greek hero: Heracles (romanised to "Atlas", and anglicised to "Hercules"), who reputedly was the strongest man in the world, could carry the whole world on his shoulders, and had to perform 12 great deeds to become immortal. The great size of the moth was probably reminiscent of the great physique of Hercules.

This Caterpillar starts off life as eggs laid singly or in small groups. The eggs are rusty red, probably camouflaging as leaf galls in the plant.

First stage is white and waxy, with black stripes. The second and third instars have brown patches over the last couple of segments. The fourth and fifth instars are blue. Each segment has two red spiracles on the sides, and four pale fleshy horns on the back. In the wild, it feeds on a variety of tropical Australian rain-forest trees, including:

Celery Wood ( Polyscias elegans, ARALIACEAE ),

Cheese Tree ( Glochidion ferdinandi, EUPHORBIACEAE ),

Red Bean ( Dysoxylum muelleri, MELIACEAE ),

Black Cherry ( Prunus serotina, ROSACEAE ), and

Queensland Apple ( Timonius rumphii, RUBIACEAE ).

This Caterpillar seems to be particularly thirsty, and needs frequent sips of plain water It grows to a length of about 10 cms.

(Specimen: courtesy of Tony Craft, Coffs Harbour Butterfly House)

The Caterpillar pupates in a long double-walled cocoon attached to a leaf.

The female moth is slightly larger and paler than the male, and has a wingspan of up to 27 cms.

Male
(Photo: courtesy of Neil Hewett , Cooper Creek Wilderness)

The male has an extended tail on each hindwing. Both sexes are brown with a white line running down each wing touched by a tear-shaped white mark near the centre. The female has broad wings, a thick body and lacks the tails, one on each of the hind wings, typical of males.

The tip of each fore wing is extended to look like the side view of a snake's head. The black eye is very realistic. Why does this enormous moth have wing tips looking like snake heads? We do not know the reason but can suggest that birds who might attack the moth are frightened by the` snakes' which might attack them.

The tear-drop shaped whitish patch in the middle of each wing is a window enclosed by transparent scales. Why do moths have windows in their wings? A possible reason is that the moths are camouflaged by the background showing through the wings.

Male
Photo: copyright Mike Cermak)

This species is found in New Guinea and over much of tropical Australia, including the Daintree Rainforest in north Queensland.

Female
(Photo: courtesy of The Insect Company)

In captivity, we have raised the Caterpillars successfully on a combination of:

Walnut ( Juglans regia, JUGLANACEAE ),

Privet ( Ligustrum vulgare, OLEACEAE ),

Lilac ( Syringa sp., OLEACEAE ),

Willow ( Salix sp., SALICACEAE ), and

Tree of Heaven ( Ailanthus altissima, SIMAROUBACEAE ).

They eat all species indiscriminately. They are quite polyphagous. Pretty much it's a case of eating whatever plant they seem to be on at the moment, within the range offered.

A few were lost due to too high humidity (fungi), but keeping them a lot drier they do ok.

The species is difficult to propagate as the males and females are inclined to emerge from their cocoons at different times.

The species also occurs in Papua New Guinea, where it is successfully farmed to produce set specimens of the moth which may be purchased for display.