¬ne'er-do-well 🐕
Wielding LogicThe Luna Moths are back!
AO Smith@wielding
What a wonderful moth!
Sharon of the Strange Times@wielding It's like finding a fairy. So lovely.
Greg Bell
Guillotine Jones, Flâneur
Duckbilled Plattypus.@wielding The first luna moth I saw was on a clear night, here in the quiet rural stillness, she was perched on a vine and she was glowing, luminescent in the white bands of moonlight, like a magical living fairy. My dear sweet dog looked at her, and then at me, and very very gently sniffed at her. We both stopped, and stood perfectly still, amazed as she flew into the night. It was pure magic.
Shdwdrgn@wielding Oh it's so tiny! Did it just come out of its cocoon? I used to see them back in Iowa but haven't found any in Colorado.
@Shdwdrgn It is not that tiny. It is about 4 inches long. It has been on the outside wall of the house all day.
@Shdwdrgn The photo does not give much in the way of estimating size. Most of the ones I see have that curl on the tail part of the wings. I have no idea how big they are when they emerge from their cocoons. Maybe it is recently emerged. It is the first I have seen of the season so you might be right about that.
Barbara Monaco@wielding I love these guys!
When I was a child in Ohio we saw these striking beauties fairly often, especially at grandma's farm and at the lake.
When I was a child in Ohio we saw these striking beauties fairly often, especially at grandma's farm and at the lake.
ChancerubbageI have never seen more than one per season.(year)
Seems it would take two, at some point in the cycle
@Chancerubbage @wielding
They have such brief life cycles that it can be hard to spot them. They live for only a week.
Fleeting beauty.
They have such brief life cycles that it can be hard to spot them. They live for only a week.
Fleeting beauty.
@Chancerubbage @Barbramon1 I have seen two of them only once. They were both on the screen of my front door.
It’s nearly the same scarcity with another huge moth, Polyphemus, the one that appears to have owl eyes on its wings.
I wish I knew what the caterpillar cocoon or chrysalis looked like for either.
@Chancerubbage @wielding Internet says that the luna moth chrysalis mimics leaf litter. Very well camouflaged.
@wielding @Chancerubbage
Years ago we used to see them fairly regulary at the farm, at least a couple times per season. They would cling to the kitchen window screen or the screen door at night. The only time I saw one in the day was at the lake when dad found one on a tree trunk.
Recently they are declining in numbers due habitat loss and pesticides. 😔
FYI- I just learned that their curled tails jam bats' sonar!
Years ago we used to see them fairly regulary at the farm, at least a couple times per season. They would cling to the kitchen window screen or the screen door at night. The only time I saw one in the day was at the lake when dad found one on a tree trunk.
Recently they are declining in numbers due habitat loss and pesticides. 😔
FYI- I just learned that their curled tails jam bats' sonar!