DISTRIBUTION:

Attacus atlas (forewing length: males: 73-125mm; females: 93-131mm) (wingspan: males: 175-210mm; females: 190-230mm) flies in southeast Asia:
northern and eastern India;
Nepal: May-September;
Bangladesh;
Bhutan: below 1000m in southern Bhutan, June;
Burma;
Laos;
Thailand;
southern and eastern China;
Cambodia;
Vietnam;
Japan: Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands;
Taiwan;
Philippines;
Sumatra;
Java, Kalimantan;
Jawa: D.K.I. Jakarta, West Jawa Province, Banten Prov., D.I. Yogyakarta, Central Jawa Prov., East Jawa Prov;
Malaysia: Genting Highlands (1500m);
Greater Sunda Islands, Moluccas, etc. to western New Guinea.

It is also now (2010) confirmed on Bali, Indonesia.

Attacus atlas male, Hainan Province, China, June 2008, courtesy of Weiwei Zhang.

This species has a wide and long red dash surrounded by a yellow or orange patch near the forewing apex. There is also some white scaling associated with the antemedial and postmedial lines on all wings.

Visit Attacus atlas very dark (melanic) male, Thailand, courtesy of Marc Fischer.

Many subspecies have been described, but most, if not all, are more likely just clinal variations.

Attacus atlas male, China: Yunnan, Kunming, courtesy of Mike Jordan.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

Teemu Klemetti offers the following regarding flight on peninsular Malaysia: This species flies for the "whole period 8th of March - 26th of May.

From Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Nayok, Ranong, there are records for August-September-October. From Genting Highlands, Malaysia, there are records for flight in January-February-March.

I suspect there is also a spring flight.

Males come to light between 8-9 pm, no experience about the females. I suppose it is on the wing whole year but has peaks in March-April and October-November."

Preston Murphy reports them on the wing near the Gap Rest House, elevation 800m, near Frasers Hill, Malaysia, March 11-13, 2007. C.W. Gan confirms an August flight from the same area.

Attacus atlas male (verso), Frasers Hill, Pahang, Malaysia, August 16, 2007, courtesy of C. W. Gan.

Larvae are polyphagous, accepting a great many foodplants and are reported to wander from one foodplant to another under natural conditions, "looking for a varied diet."

Ailanthus, lilac and privet are readily accepted in captivity.

Photo (female) courtesy of Leroy Simon

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Females extend a scent gland from the posterior tip of the abdomen to call in night-flying males.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS AND PUPAE:

Eggs are very large compared to those of other Saturniidae and incubate for 8-14 days depending upon temperature. The eggshell is brown and "glue" tends to be very dark and thick. Photo courtesy of Perti Perkinen.

After less than a week of feeding, larvae moult and produce larvae with large (relative to body), fleshy scoli. The body and scoli are covered with a brilliant white powder. Red areas appear, laterally, at the beginning and near the end of the abdomen.

In my opinion larvae are most beautiful in fourth instar when the scoli are thick and powdering is extensive and brilliant. I cannot understand how they would go undetected by birds unless they also resemble a white fungus indigenous to their area.

Larvae are covered with a fine white powder and are "bright-white" after each moult except the last when there is less powdering. Basic body colouration is a bluish green with some pink on the anal claspers. Leroy Simon photo.

Attacus atlas female, verso, courtesy of Mark Lasko.

It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Ailanthus altissima Aleurites montana Alstonia scholaris Annona muricata Ardesia sieboldii Artemisia vulgaris Averrhoa carambola Berberis asiatica Berberis thunbergii Berberis vulgaris Betula platyphylla Bischofia javanica Camellia sinensis Canangium odoratum Carpinus betulus Ceiba pentandra Cinnamomum camphora Cinnamomum iners Cinnamomum zeylanicum Citrus Clerodendrum serratum Clerodenrum viscosum Clidemia hirta Coffea arabica Conarium indicum Curcuma viridiflora Dillenica indica Dillenia pentagyna Erythrina subumbrana Euphorbia longana Ficus Fraxinus Glochidion rubrum Glochidion velutinum Hibiscus Ilex Ipomoea batatas Kalmia latifolia Laegerstroemia indica Lannea grandis Lantana camara Leucosceptrum canum Ligustrum Litchi chinensis Lonicera japonica Mangifera indica Melastoma malabathricum Meyna grisea Morus Nauclea rotundifolia Nephelium lappaceum Nephelium lappaceum Nerium oleander Nicolaia speciosa Parkia intermedia Parkia speciosa Persea americana Persea pyriformis Phyllanthus emblica Piper Populus Prunus Pyrus malus Pyrus communis Quisqualis indica Rhododendron Ricinis communis Rosa Salix Sandoricum koetjape Sapium insigne Sapium sebiferum Sarcostemma brunonianum...... Sassafras albidum Schlefflera octophylla Schleichera oleosa Sesbania grandiflora Setaria viridis Spathodea campanulata Stachytarpheta cayennensis..... Swietenia mahogani Symplocos paniculata Syringa vulgaris Syzygium aqueum Syzygium malaccense Theobroma cacoa Uncaria gambir

Chinese tree of Heaven Mu-oil tree Devil tree Prickly custard apple Ardesia sieboldii Mugwort Country gooseberry Barberry Japanese barberry Common barberry Japanese white birch Toog Green tea tree Fereng (Thailand), or llang-llang (Philippines) Europeanhornbeam White silk cotton Quinine Camphor Wild cinnamon Cinnamon Citrus Glory-bower Glory-bower Koster's curse Coffee Conarium indicum Turmeric Dillenica indica Dillenia pentagyna Dangs Coral tree Eye-ball tree Fig Ash Glochidion velutinum Hibiscus Holly Sweet potatoe Mountain laurel Crapemyrtle Lannea grandis Yellow sage Leucosceptrum canum Privet Lychee Soapberry/Lichti Japanese honeysuckle Mango Indian rhododendron Meyna grisea Mulberry Nauclea rotundifolia Lychee Lychee Common oleander Kecombrang Locust bean Locust bean Avocado Persea pyriformis Emblic Pepper Poplar Apple Pear Rangoon creeper Rhododendron Castor-oal bean Rose Willow Kechapi, Santol, Sentul Curupi Chinese tallow tree Sarcostemma brunonianum Sassafras Umbrella tree Kosum Agati/Rattlebox Bristle grass Flame tree/African tuliptree Verbena/Blue snakeweed West Indian mahogany Sweetleaf Lilac Swamp peach Malay apple Cocoa Gambir

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On my home computer only: notes on Saturniidae of Bhutan by Ronald Brechlin (in English) as published in Entomo-Satsphingia 2 (1): 47 – 55 (March 2009)