Buzz
Spotting one of the planet's largest insects is no easy feat. The female giant wood moth, tipping the scales at 30 grams (1.1 ounces), holds the title of the heaviest moth globally. Known for its elusive nature, the moth's unexpected appearance at an Australian construction site brought excitement, as reported by The Guardian.
Construction crews discovered the giant wood moth while working on new classrooms for Mount Cotton State School in Queensland. Located near a rainforest, the school grounds are home to various wildlife, including snakes, koalas, and wallabies. However, the sighting of a giant wood moth was a first. The builders likened its size to that of a rat, with females reaching up to 15 centimeters (nearly 6 inches) in length and boasting wingspans of 25 centimeters (almost 10 inches).
Female moths live only a few days after maturing. Their hefty bodies hinder their ability to fly, often leading them to climb trees and wait for smaller males to locate them. They sustain themselves on plant roots and caterpillars, relying on stored fat during their short adult phase. After laying approximately 20,000 eggs, the females die. Their fleeting existence makes sightings of these remarkable giants exceptionally rare.
After capturing a few photos, the construction team released the giant wood moth back into the adjacent forest. While students at Mount Cotton missed the chance to see the creature up close, one class utilized its image as inspiration for a creative writing exercise. The enormous insect sparked imaginative tales of bug invasions, including a story where a teacher met their fate at the jaws of a wood moth.
