Today I looked down and saw this interesting creature.
I have never seen anything like it in my yard. The legs were thick and hairy like a tarantula
and the wings were beautifully decorated with interesting patterns and huge "eye spots" to scare away predators.
And it was HUGE! (for Oregon standards... not tropical jungle ones).
I set out to get some good, close up photos. It held really still.
Except when it was flying :)
It settled here for several hours as I researched what kind of creature this was.
It turns out it is a Polyphemus Moth. I found the following commentary here:
"The Polyphemus is one of the Giant Silk Moths. The most familiar of this group is probably the Luna Moth. Others include the Cecropia and the Promethea, among the 40-plus species north of Mexico. The adults lack significant mouth parts and apparently do not feed. They’re essentially breeding machines, and the females emit pheromones that attract males from long distances. The big, feathery antennae on the one pictured at top indicate it is a male. The larvae of the Giant Silk Moths are generally big, impressive caterpillars covered with spines and tubercles. They spin large cocoons that they attach to the trees or shrubs on which the caterpillars feed. These are often conspicuous once the leaves are off the trees. The Polyphemus larvae feed on several common tree types such as oak, hickory, elm, maple and birch. The name, Polyphemus, derives from a one-eyed giant in Greek mythology, a reference to the large eye spots on the moth’s hind wings."
"The Polyphemus is one of the Giant Silk Moths. The most familiar of this group is probably the Luna Moth. Others include the Cecropia and the Promethea, among the 40-plus species north of Mexico. The adults lack significant mouth parts and apparently do not feed. They’re essentially breeding machines, and the females emit pheromones that attract males from long distances. The big, feathery antennae on the one pictured at top indicate it is a male. The larvae of the Giant Silk Moths are generally big, impressive caterpillars covered with spines and tubercles. They spin large cocoons that they attach to the trees or shrubs on which the caterpillars feed. These are often conspicuous once the leaves are off the trees. The Polyphemus larvae feed on several common tree types such as oak, hickory, elm, maple and birch. The name, Polyphemus, derives from a one-eyed giant in Greek mythology, a reference to the large eye spots on the moth’s hind wings."
I love little surprises like this. Being allowed to view and study, up close, little glimpses of God's creativity and design. And I love it when God brings homeschool to us :) I had no idea these things lived around here, now I wonder what else is lurking in my back yard that I don't know about.
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