Endoxyla cinereus explained

Endoxyla cinereus, the giant wood moth, is a moth in the family Cossidae.^[1] It is found in Australia (Queensland, New South Wales) and New Zealand.^[2] The species was first described in 1890. A rare contemporary sighting of the moth at a school in Australia garnered notice as an editor's pick among the daily headlines of the New York Times on May 8, 2021.^[3]

It is the heaviest moth in the world; weighing up to 30 g.^[4] Its wingspan is approximately 23 cm, or just over nine inches.

The larvae bore into the trunks of trees of the Eucalyptus species. Pupation takes place in the larval tunnel.^[5]

Further reading

• News: Cramer . Maria . May 7, 2021 . A Heavy in the Insect World Makes a Rare Appearance . .

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Global Lepidoptera Names Index . Natural History Museum . 5 May 2021.
2. , 2011: Catalogue of the Family Cossidae of the Old World. Neue Entomologische Nachrichten, 66: 1-129.
3. Cramer, Maria, This Moth Is Huge in Australia, The New York Times, Saturday, May 8, 2021
4. https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/giant-wood-moth/ Giant Wood Moth
5. Web site: lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au . 2014-07-09 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140714174542/http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/coss/ciner.html . 2014-07-14.