Mother Shipton vs Atlas Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Mother Shipton Atlas Moth
Scientific Name Euclidia mi Attacus atlas
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Erebidae Saturniidae
Size 30-35 mm wingspan 250-300 mm wingspan
Habitat Grasslands Forests
Diet Omnivores Herbivores
Regions Europe, western Asia Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Mother Shipton

A day-flying moth whose forewing markings resemble the profile of a witch's face. It is named after the famous English prophetess Mother Shipton.

💡

Did You Know?

The wing pattern clearly shows a hooked nose, chin, and eye in profile, resembling a caricature of a crone.

Atlas Moth

One of the largest moths in the world by wing area. Adults have no mouths and do not eat, living only 1-2 weeks on stored fat. Wing tips mimic snake heads.

💡

Did You Know?

The atlas moth has no mouth — as an adult, it cannot eat. It survives entirely on fat stored during its caterpillar stage, living just long enough to mate.