Elleda Wilson: Mammoth moth

Elleda Wilson, The Daily Astorian, Ore.
·1 min read

Aug. 25—The Aug. 5 Washington State Department of Agriculture newsletter, Ag Briefs, reports that a solitary atlas moth was discovered in Bellevue, Washington. This moth, with a wingspan of almost 10 inches, is nonnative, so it was filed under a "pest alert." This is the first U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed detection of an atlas moth in the U.S.

Anyone who finds one is "encouraged to photograph, collect and report" it. They are safe to handle, but as a federally quarantined pest, it's illegal to "obtain, harbor, rear or sell live moths" in any form without a USDA permit.

"This is a 'gee-whiz' type of insect because it is so large," Sven Spichiger, Washington State Department of Agriculture managing entomologist, noted. "... This is normally a tropical moth. We are not sure it could survive here ...

"We hope residents will help us learn if this was a one-off escapee," he added, "or whether there might, indeed, be a population in the area." (Photo: WSDA)