Atlas moth, world's largest, found on Washington garage | Tacoma ...

‘World’s largest moth’ found hanging out on a garage in Washington, photos show
Aprofessor found an atlas moth on his garage in Bellevue.
Washington Department of Agriculture
The moth is usually only spotted in the tropics.
It’s burnt orange and bigger than an adult hand, and its species isn’t supposed to be flying around Washington.
A University of Washington professor, however, found one lurking on his Bellevue garage in July. It turned out to be the world’s largest moth, the state’s Department of Agriculture said.
Washington Department of Agriculture
“This is a ‘gee-whiz’ type of insect because it is so large,” Sven Spichiger, the department’s managing entomologist, said in a news release. “Even if you aren’t on the lookout for insects, this is the type that people get their phones out and take a picture of – they are that striking.”
Officials identified the moth spotted at the professor’s home as an atlas moth, which can have a wingspan of up to 10 inches.
“It is also a federally quarantined pest – meaning it is illegal to obtain, harbor, rear, or sell live moths whether adults, eggs, larvae, or pupae without a permit from USDA,” officials said.
Experts don’t know that the atlas moth can survive in Washington because it thrives in tropical environments.
There’s no evidence that other atlas moths are in Washington, but the Department of Agriculture is asking everyone to keep an eye out.
Maddie Capron is a McClatchy Real-Time News Reporter focused on the outdoors and wildlife in the western U.S. She graduated from Ohio University and previously worked at CNN, the Idaho Statesman and Ohio Center for Investigative Journalism.