Animal profile

Hercules Moth

Coscinocera hercules

InsectaTropical rainforest and adjacent regrowth

Field profile

A very large saturniid moth with the greatest wing surface area of any moth. Females are broad-winged; males carry long trailing hindwing tails. Adults have no functional mouthparts, and larvae feed on rainforest trees including bleeding heart.

Published field notes

2026-05-14

Hercules Moth

The hercules moth has the greatest wing area

Records for the largest moth depend on what is measured. The white witch wins on wingspan and the atlas moth is often cited by name, but by total wing surface the hercules moth of New Guinea and Queensland leads.

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