The newly created Noklak district had a visitor, the Madagascan moon moth on 21st August 2020 during the dedicatory programme of newly constructed Deputy Commissioner Office chamber.

The Madagascan moon moth is a moth native to the rain forest of Madagascar. Although endangered in the wild due to habitat loss, the Madagascan moon moth has been breed in captivity.

The male has a wingspan of 20 cm and a tail span of 15 cm making it one of the world’s largest silk moths. The female lays from 120 – 170 eggs and after hatching, the larvae feeds for approximately two months before pupating. The cocoon has numerous holes to keep the pupa from drowning in the daily rains of natural habitat. The adult moths cannot feed and only lives for 4-5 days.

Madagascan moon moth is one of the beautiful lepidopterans. It is nocturnal and not flying at day time. Male and female can be easily distinguished; females have broader and rounder wings and much shorter tail and males wear long and plumose ones.

Like all insects, Madagascan moon moth has a lot of natural enemies like chameleons, birds etc. so it happens that only few individuals will succeed in passing a long way to the adult moth.

The common rearing of silk moth and also having large area of forest covered in the region, Medagascan moon moth are spotted occasionally. The region is also having an Indo-Myanmar hotspot where it has a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna.

(K.K.Chim, IA Noklak)