One of the world's largest moths has been found for the first time in the U.S. – and scientists don't know how it got here
CBSN
A large moth with a 10-inch wingspan has been spotted in Washington – and entomologists aren't sure how it got there. The atlas moth is one of the largest moths in the world and it's also illegal to keep them in the U.S., according to the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
There is minimal research about the moth, but it normally lives in tropical climates and it is believed to live off apple and cherry plants, according to a news release.
"We are not sure it could survive here," said Sven Spichiger, the department's managing entomologist. "USDA is gathering available scientific and technical information about this moth and will provide response recommendations, but in the meantime, we hope residents will help us learn if this was a one-off escapee or whether there might indeed be a population in the area."
