MOTH WEEK

 

Many birders also like to study other creatures in nature such as dragon flies,  especially when birds are scare at certain times of the year.  But now I find from a friend in Arizona (who has a passion for all wildlife) that  many also study moths.

NATIONAL MOTH WEEK celebrates the beauty, life cycles, and habitats of moths. “Moth-ers” of all ages and abilities are encouraged to learn about, observe, and document moths in their backyards, parks, and neighborhoods, during National Moth Week which  is the last full week of July.

Several fascinating and beautiful moths we have here in our islands are the  Cecropia and the Luna.

Recently, I came across a Cecropia Moth, which was so large, it was startling.  And it decided that its favorite place was on my arm, where it stayed till someone took it away, some 15 minutes later.

Hyalophora cecropia, the cecropia moth, is North America's largest native moth.  It is a member of the family Saturniidae, or giant silk moths. Females have been documented with a wingspan of five to seven inches or more. These moths can be found all across North America as far west as Washington and north into the majority of Canadian provinces.  Cecropia moth larvae are most commonly found on maple trees, but they have also been found on cherry and birch trees among many others. Though where we found this moth none of these tress around, only Douglas fir.

 A Luna Moth (Actias luna) has such an interesting color and also has unique markings. It has broad pale green wings and delicate tail streamers. It is sometimes known as the “American Moon Moth” as it only flies at night.

This ghostly looking moth which is so large with  a wingspan of 3 – 4.5 inches ( the larvae can grow up to 3.5 inches long) that when one encounters it, your breath is taken away.  Is this real?

They are usually found in and around deciduous woodlands where their larval food plants occur.  These moths spin the tails of their wingtips in circle to protect themselves from their predators. They sometimes use their color to mimic leaves for camouflage.  

Sad to say their average life span as an adult is approximately one week. This insect does not have a mouth or a digestive system. This is the reason why it lives for such a short period of time

The female moths can lay anywhere from 200-600 eggs. The eggs are generally laid in batches.

The insect does not have a mouth or a digestive system. This is the reason why it lives for such a short period of time.

While these two species are among nature's largest, there are many smaller varieties which are equally interesting, if one takes the time to study them.