In the museum garden hatched the first moon moths

One of the most majestic and beautiful butterflies in the world spread its long yellow-green wings out of a mossy cocoon in front of the astonished visitors in the Burgas Museum of Natural History.[shrink]


Argema mimosae or African moon moth is nocturnal species that lives only 3-4 days after coming out of its cocoon. Its life is so short, because the species is born without proboscis with which to feed and survive on the accumulated nutrients in caterpillar stage. The span of its wings reaches 10-12 cm and the length of the moth from the head to the tip of its elongated wings is 12-14 cm. The moon moth is widespread in South and Central Africa.

The African beauty can be seen for the first time this year in Natural History Museum Burgas, where the curators eagerly took care of the large cocoons more than two weeks in anticipation of its appearance.

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