Polyphemus Moth

Ten days ago when I met Jimmy for lunch he told me there was a huge moth at the plant and I needed to stop back by there to photograph it. Well, after lunch it was still in the same spot. It was alive, but not doing too well. I don't know what to do with a moth so after I photographed it we left it there, with intend of Jimmy getting it late that night if it was still there. It's predators had found it by then, and it was in pieces.

My main reference book (National Audobon Field Guide to Butterflies) does not include moths, so I grabbed the little Golden Guide from St Martin's Press "Butterflies and Moths". Right there it was, and it said...Polyphemus Moth, perhaps the commonest giant silk moth, was named after the one-eyed giant Polyphemus of Greek mythology because of the large eyespots on the hindwings.

Jimmy couldn't stand it, he had to measure it.

Hap from New Hope recommends "Butterflies of North America by Kenn Kaufman & Jim Brock and Butterflies through Binoculars-The East by Jeffrey Glassberg. Two nice guides to help with ID's." They will be on my wish list, maybe Jimmy will see a note laying around that I want these. :)

Earlier this week Jimmy told me he had me 2 dead moths that he was bringing home from the plant. One ended out to be a Tiger Swallowtail (he doesn't begin to know ids, he just likes), the other I have not id'd yet. He says the new plant is full of butterflies and moths. Maybe that is where all our butterflies are this year. They also have bats flying around in there.