Biggest Moth in the World Found in Washington, Keep an Eye Out Idaho

This monstrous moth looks like something out of a scary movie. When Animals Attack or something. This huge creature is called an Atlas Moth and typically only lives in tropical climates. Wikipedia says, "Their habitat is primarily dry tropical forests, secondary forests, and shrublands across South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia."

One was found last month on a garage in Belleview Washington and officials are trying to figure out how it got there. Fox12 reported, "With a wingspan that can reach approximately 10 inches, the Atlas moth is the biggest known moth in the world. According to officials, the moth is a federally quarantined pest, which means that without permission from the USDA, it is prohibited to collect, house, rear, or sell, including adults, eggs, larvae, and pupae."

The managing entomologist Sven Spichiger of the Washington State Department of Agriculture said, “USDA is gathering available scientific and technical information about this moth and will provide response recommendations, but in the meantime, we hope residents will help us learn if this was a one-off escapee or whether there might indeed be a population in the area.”

Remember when the murder hornets were in Washington state? Northern Idaho was also on the lookout for the unwanted critters and should also keep their eyes out for this big species as well.