 Watercolor on bristol board 15" x 10 1/2" |
The giant silk moths of the family Saturniidae include many of the largest and most spectacular of the world's moth species, and one of the biggest and most beautiful of these is the atlas moth (Attacus atlas), which can attain a wingspan over ten inches. Widespread throughout Asia, the caterpillars of this moth and a number of close relatives are often cultivated for silk production, although the most important commercial silk moth is still the unrelated Chinese silk moth (Bombyx mori), which only occurs in domestication. |