White Witch Moth, Thysania agrippina, in a Black Frame

Species Name: Thysania agrippina
Common Name: Witch Moth
Origin: Peru
Size: 8" x 10" Black Shadowbox Frame

The White witch moth will interest many bug collectors, not only it's rarely seen but also considered to have the largest wingspan in the insect world. One story of the derivation of the common name: early naturalists collected specimens of birds and bats with shotguns. An enormous darting flyer high in the canopy was a tempting target. Firing a cloud of pellets at a white witch didn't necessarily bring it down, however, because the body is small relative to the wing area. The moth would sail along, an unkillable witch.