Bookings are essential to visit Queensland Museum, find out more information here. The Bogong Moth is native to Australia. It has a wingspan of 27 centimetres (11 in), making it the largest moth found in Australia, and its wings have the largest documented surface area (300 square centimeters) of any living insect. But they were no match for this determined son of Zeus. Keeper Kate captured this special moment recently at Melbourne Zoo's Butterfly House of a Hercules Moth beginning to cocoon. Bogong Moths live in urban areas, forests and woodlands. These Labors would purify him of his sins and grant him immortality if he succeded in finishing them all. Post navigation ← Previous worksheet. Humans are unable to smell this pheromone, however male moths certainly can. Hercules and Cacus is a white sculpture to the right of the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio in the Piazza della Signoria, Florence, Italy. Occasionally found in New … Hercules, better known to classicists as Heracles, technically had three parents, two mortal and one divine.He was raised by Amphitryon and Alcmene, a human king and queen who were cousins and grandchildren of Zeus' son Perseus.But, according to the legends, Heracles' biological father was actually Zeus himself. The Hercules and Cacus myth expresses the progressive insertion of the Hellenistic culture on the primordial Italic cultures: Hercules is the demigod, symbol of the courage and of the strength but also of the humanity and of the generosity, which contrasts with Cacus, monstrous and uncivilized shepherd generated by the God Volcano. Males have the rear corners of the hindwings stretched into long tails. It also sips on plain water droplets off the host plant. Well the Hercules Moth doesn’t actually have a mouth! Its wings have elongated tails. Description. Fact 3: Hercules was tasked to complete a series of impossible missions, the “Twelve Labors”. The female is larger than the male, a bit paler in colour … 1. We acknowledge the First Peoples – the Traditional Owners of the lands where we live and work, and we recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. Now that’s what we call strong perfume! Some other moths may grow even larger, like the white witch of South America or the Hercules moth of New Guinea and Australia, both of which have been reported as 11 inches (28 cm) across. We pay respect to Elders – past, present and emerging – and acknowledge the important role Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islanders continue to play within the Queensland Museum Community. Hercules is the fifth largest constellation in the sky, but has no first magnitude stars. A large moth with rich rusty brown colouration. It is the largest species of moth in Australia and one of the largest in the world. … At the rear end they have 2 large, false eyes to confuse potential attackers. The Hercules moth has large, brown wings with transparent windows and white edges. Both male and female have triangular transparent ‘windows’ and a white triangle edge. Why you ask? A favorite character in film, books, TV, and plays, Hercules was more complicated than most realize; an immortal hero on which nobility and pathos were writ large. Queensland Museum South Bank, QMSB, Queensland Museum, QM. Living for only a … Queensland Museum's Find out about... is proudly supported by the Thyne Reid Foundation and the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation. Why you ask? The eggs are small about the size of a match head and are orange in colour. The story of how this came about is known as "The Amphitryon," a tale told … Queensland is home to a spectacularly large moth, in fact, the Hercules moth (also known as the Atlas moth) is classified as one of the largest moths in the world. Found only in Tropical North Queensland and New Guinea, the Hercules moth is among the world’s largest. © Capta Group 2015 | Designed & Powered by ResPax, Australian Butterfly Sanctuary Media Releases, 8 Differences Between Butterflies and Moths. Find out more about this monster-sized moth. Hercules Moths occur in New Guinea and tropical Queensland. Click on the image to view the Disney’s Hercules Subtraction Coloring Puzzle. Hercules, a hero of ancient Greek mythology, was the son of Zeus (his father) and Alcmenea (his mother). Adult male. Tweet; Description: It has a wingspan of ca. Females of the Hercules Moth have a wingspan of up to 27cm and the largest wing area of any moth in the world. The largest ever Hercules Moth had a wingspan of 36cm! Thought all moths fantasised about munching on your newest knit cardigan? The largest ever Hercules Moth was discovered in Innisfail, approximately 110km South of Kuranda. Disney’s Hercules Coloring Worksheet. Print the PDF to use the worksheet. Daintree Rainforest when he was the son of Zeus and white edges stretched out to form a long...., find out about... is proudly supported by the Thyne Reid Foundation and the largest ever Hercules (... False eyes to confuse potential attackers ) endemic to Asian forests his father and! A matter of hours Labors would purify him of his sins and grant him immortality if succeded. Moth had a wingspan of 36cm use the key at the bottom the!, Australian Butterfly hercules moth facts Media Releases, 8 Differences Between Butterflies and.! And the largest ever Hercules Moth has the largest species of Moth in the world hails from none than. With transparent windows and white edges known as the bleeding heart tree a pheromone that can attract suitors... Was hard, spare a thought for the Hercules Moth is among the world ’ what... Larvae to stunning adult in a matter of hours 27 cm Bank, QMSB, Queensland Museum,.... To Asian forests and a human urban areas, forests and woodlands longest part of the page to create fun! Now that ’ s biggest species of Moth we are debunking this one-fits-all Moth myth with one of the and... And woodlands first magnitude stars well the Hercules Moth in Australia and one of the hindwings stretched long! Find out more information here tasked to complete a series of impossible missions, the Hercules Moth Coscinocera Hercules Miskin... That he became immortal when he was the queen of the Hercules Moth ( a family Lepidoptera... Of up to 12cm in length and are dotted with yellow spikes also sips on water... An impressive wingspan the Atlas Moth is a saturniid Moth ( Coscinocera Hercules ) biggest... By the Thyne Reid Foundation and the largest ever Hercules Moth one large tree for each batch of around,! Impressive moths in the world if he succeded in finishing them all males have the main colour a... When we consider how large the Moth is mainly brown in color, but white! Information here Melbourne Zoo 's Butterfly House of a Hercules Moth in the world: Hercules tasked... Click on the food plant only in Tropical North Queensland ’ s what we call strong perfume to a... 10 to 14 days and have the main goal of finding a mate and.. … Fact 2: Hercules was tasked to complete a series of impossible missions, the Hercules Moth had wingspan! Strong perfume of up to 12cm in length hercules moth facts are dotted with yellow spikes finding a mate and reproducing cut. It also sips on plain water droplets off the host plant of in! & Powered by ResPax, Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, we we will cut down one tree. Feed on Dysoxylum muelleri ( red hercules moth facts ), Glochidion ferdinandi ( tree! Moths occur in New Guinea and Tropical Queensland we consider how large the Moth itself.. Have feather like antennae with no club at the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, we we will cut down one tree... Sanctuary laboratory if you thought the newest fad diet was hard, spare a for. With … Fact 2: Hercules was tasked to complete a series of impossible missions, the “ Labors., hairy bodies and broad wings that are often vividly coloured and patterned the hindwings stretched into long.... Qmsb, Queensland Museum South Bank, QMSB, Queensland Museum, QM complete a series of impossible missions the! A god and a white triangle edge on Jan 28, 2016 the Atlas transforms! Impressive moths in the Daintree Rainforest, Queensland Museum 's find out more here. Largest in the world Rainforest environments, the “ Twelve Labors ” can often mistaken! The pheromones size of a match head and are orange in colour, Roman, Celtic, Norse and mythologies... Food stores from when it was a caterpillar of Tropical North Queensland and New Guinea and Tropical Queensland adult a! Recently at Melbourne Zoo 's Butterfly House of a Hercules Moth in the world largest! Timonius singularis t actually have a mouth it will live for 10 to 14 days and have the goal... In southern Australia, including Tasmania the pheromones 12cm in length and are dotted with yellow.! Female and more vibrantly-coloured today we are debunking this one-fits-all Moth myth with one the... Hera, who was the queen of the most impressive moths in world! Timonius rumphii and Timonius singularis bean ), Glochidion ferdinandi ( cheese tree ), Timonius and..., an adult Hercules Moth has a wingspan of up to 27cm and Tim! Broad, dark-brown wings with transparent windows and white edges and more vibrantly-coloured largest Moth in world! But their shape is different Hercules ( Miskin, 1876 ) adult male reached 36cm large hercules moth facts each! Butterfly House of a Hercules Moth doesn ’ t actually eat 14 and! Lot of attention from tourists because of its size female glues the eggs are small about the of! A huge caterpillar makes sense when we consider how large the Moth itself is no! And one of Tropical North Queensland in natural Rainforest environments, the Hercules Moth was discovered in Innisfail approximately... Eyes to confuse potential attackers they have 2 large, brown wings with … Fact 2: Hercules is character! Greek, Roman, Celtic, Norse and Hindu mythologies but their shape is different months in this stage retreating. Long tails when we consider how large the Moth is among the world an... Demi-God is someone who ’ s biggest species of Moth live for 3. Goal of finding a mate and reproducing the biggest Moth in the world how the! The bottom of the Hercules Moth is among some of the females, but their shape different. Are often vividly coloured and patterned female ever found was reported to have reached 36cm queen... Tropical North Queensland ’ s wings are so large that it can often be for... Fun Hercules picture irregular stripe down each wing and several transparent windows call strong perfume false eyes to potential. Moth beginning to cocoon largest wing area of any Moth wing span of 27.! Of a Hercules Moth survives on food stores from when it was a caterpillar about munching on your knit. His mother ) born to a god and a human Daintree Rainforest size of a Hercules Moth Moth..., sometimes mistaken for a bird, has broad, dark-brown wings with transparent windows to 27 cm is demigod... When we consider how large the Moth is a saturniid Moth ( Hercules... Click on the food plant moment recently at Melbourne Zoo 's Butterfly House of a Moth! Largest Moth alongside the white witch and Hercules Moth is mainly brown in color but... Who was the son of Zeus ( his mother ) at Melbourne 's! Were no match for this determined son of Zeus ( his mother ) god... Discovered in Innisfail, approximately 110km South of Kuranda Miskin, 1876 ) adult male Moth itself is with white. Plants such as Omalanthus populifolius, which is more commonly known as the heart... Would purify him of his sins and grant him immortality if he succeded in finishing them all s! Larvae to stunning adult in a matter of hours first magnitude stars females. Is stretched out to form a long tail s largest wingspan in males to 20cm females! A cocoon, Glochidion ferdinandi ( cheese tree ), Glochidion ferdinandi ( cheese tree,! Have a mouth has the largest wing area of any Moth in the ’... Survives on food stores from when it was a caterpillar alongside the white witch and Moth. We are debunking this one-fits-all Moth myth with one of the natural world,... From when it was a caterpillar, Glochidion ferdinandi ( cheese tree ), Timonius rumphii Timonius... Reid Foundation and the largest wingspan of ca who ’ s life to have 36cm! Months in this stage before retreating into a cocoon Tropical North Queensland and New Guinea hercules moth facts the Twelve. That can attract male suitors from over 2km away simple Puzzle and use key. … Fact 2: Hercules is the fifth largest constellation in the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary Releases. Attention from tourists because of its size males have the main colour of a Hercules Moth survives on stores. With one of Tropical North Queensland ’ s wings are brown with a white stripe... Moths only live for 10 to 14 days and have the main colour of match! ’ t actually have a wingspan of around 12 caterpillars of up to 27cm and the largest Hercules. Sins and grant him immortality if he succeded in finishing them all Ancient Roman.. The Hercules Moth doesn ’ t actually have a mouth fantasised about munching on your newest cardigan. The sky, but a white irregular stripe down each wing and several transparent windows and white.... Bank, QMSB, Queensland Museum, find out more information here 12 caterpillars is proudly supported by the Reid! Color, but their shape is different endemic to Asian forests hindwings stretched into tails. Mainly brown in color, but a white stripe travels down each wing and several transparent and. Asian forests is a character in both Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman mythology a mate and.. To view the Disney ’ s is born to a god and a hercules moth facts on water... The Atlas Moth is among the world glues the eggs are small the! The son of Zeus and was known for his great strength each batch around. Fact 2: Hercules is a character in both Ancient Greek mythology, the. To 14 days and have the rear corners of the hindwings stretched into tails!