Endoxyla cinereus, the giant wood moth, is a moth in the family Cossidae.[1] It is found in Australia (Queensland, New South Wales) and New Zealand.[2] The species was first described in 1890. A rare contemporary sighting of the moth at a school in Australia garnered notice as an editor's pick among the daily headlines of the New York Times on May 8, 2021.[3]
It is the heaviest moth in the world; weighing up to 30 g.[4] Its wingspan is approximately 23 cm, or just over nine inches.
The larvae bore into the trunks of trees of the Eucalyptus species. Pupation takes place in the larval tunnel.[5]
References
- ^ "The Global Lepidoptera Names Index". Natural History Museum. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- ^ Yakovlev, R.V., 2011: Catalogue of the Family Cossidae of the Old World. Neue Entomologische Nachrichten, 66: 1-129.
- ^ Cramer, Maria, This Moth Is Huge in Australia, The New York Times, Saturday, May 8, 2021
- ^ Giant Wood Moth, The Australian Museum
- ^ "lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au". Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
Further reading
- Cramer, Maria (May 7, 2021). "A Heavy in the Insect World Makes a Rare Appearance". The New York Times.
External links
Media related to Endoxyla cinereus at Wikimedia Commons
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