Which moth has the widest recorded wingspan of any living insect?

The white witch moth has the widest recorded wingspan among living insects.

The white witch, Thysania agrippina, is a large nocturnal moth found across parts of tropical and subtropical Central and South America. A Brazilian specimen measured almost 30 centimetres across, giving the species its claim to the wingspan record. Its pale, wavy-patterned wings help it blend into bark and other muted surfaces.

The record needs careful wording because “largest” can mean different things. The atlas moth and Hercules moth may rival or exceed the white witch in wing area, while other insects surpass it in body mass, length or total surface area. By maximum recorded wingspan, however, the white witch is the standard answer.

The species has also been called the ghost moth, great gray witch and great owlet moth. It belongs to the family Erebidae, a diverse group that includes many owlet and tiger moths. Adults are most often encountered at night, when their cryptic coloring is especially useful.