DISTRIBUTION:

The Hercules moth (wingspan up to 27 cm) flies in Papua New Guinea and North Queensland, Australia where it inhabits tropical rain forests.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

In its natural setting this species feeds on Dysoxylum muelleri, (Red Bean); Glochidion ferdinandi, (Cheese tree); Omalanthus novoguinensis, (Bleeding heart); Omalanthus nutans, (Native bleeding heart); Timonius rumphii, and Timonius singularis. Larvae often consume most or all of discarded skin.

Photo by Leroy Simon.

Other accepted food plants are Homalanthus populifolia, (Bleeding heart tree); Ligustrum, (privet); Panax elegans, (ginseng); Polyscias fulva , (Parasol tree); Prunus serotina, (Wild black cherry); Syringa vulgaris, (lilac).

ECLOSION:

Moths wiggle their way out of double-walled cocoons and then hang to inflate their wings.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in males by emitting pheromones. The males tend to be slightly smaller than the females, but have more vibrant colouration and longer "tails".

Photo of male courtesy of Scott Smith.

EGGS, LARVAE, COCOONS, AND PUPAE:

Gravid females lay 80-100 eggs singly or in small groups. Emerging larvae chew a hole through one side of the egg and struggle to extricate themselves.

Growth is rapid and early instar larvae are predominantly white and look very much like Attacus atlas larvae. Photos by Phil Hoyois

Late instar larvae get quite large (10 cm), like to sip on water droplets, and take on a greenish-blue colouration. The double-walled cocoons are long and slender and are leaf wrapped.

Photo by Mike Cermak

Larval Food Plants

Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone's Foodplants of World Saturniidae. 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.

Dysoxylum Glochidion Homalanthus populifolia..... Ligustrum Panax elegans Polyscias Prunus serotina Syringa vulgaris Timonius

Dysoxylum Glochidion Bleeding-heart tree Privet Ginseng Parasol tree Wild black cherry Common lilac Timonius

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