Thanks to Silver Parrot for directing me to What's that Bug? to find out what the heck that ginormous, 5+ inch wide moth was on my front step (she stayed there, btw until at least 1PM, having found a bug feast). It turns out that it is a Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus), a North American member of the Giant Silk Moth family! Holy cow! We actually aren't supposed to get them this far north; they are supposed to come to Southern Ontario at most, but I guess the bugs here are just too tasty to ignore! I found out at Wikipedia.org, that these moths can actually eat "86,000 times its weight at emergence in a little less than two months". Amazing!! I guess they really do need my bugs, and boy, am I happy to let the moths have them!! Apparently they are having problems, as predatory insects, like some wasps and flies, like to eat them in the egg stage. I am certainly glad I got to see this giant beauty (even if I was a little freaked out and thought it might eat me)!
See you soon :)
That is so cool! What a great story! I wonder how this guy managed to make it that far north. And did he come alone, or will there soon be a movie about the invasion of a northern Ontario community by giant moths? Hmmmm...
ReplyDeleteOh how neat Meghann! It's a beautiful colour and those wings looks so soft and silky.
ReplyDeleteThanks for telling us more about what you learned!
ReplyDeleteThat moth is so gorgeous it looks like a butterfly!
ReplyDeleteWow!