Walnut Sphinx Moth vs Atlas Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Walnut Sphinx Moth Atlas Moth
Scientific Name Amorpha juglandis Attacus atlas
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Sphingidae Saturniidae
Size 50-75 mm 250-300 mm wingspan
Habitat Woodlands Forests
Diet Detritivores Herbivores
Regions Eastern North America Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Walnut Sphinx Moth

A beautifully cryptic hawk moth with scalloped wing edges and mottled brown, gray, and lavender patterns. It rests among leaf litter where it is nearly impossible to detect.

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Did You Know?

The walnut sphinx caterpillar can produce a high-pitched whistle by forcing air through its spiracles, startling birds and other predators.

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.

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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.