A Moth Emerges!

[Caroluna]

Several weeks ago, Kevin was walking in the woods getting fresh leaves for our "Chas" caterpillars. He was startled when something the size of a small sausage fell from the trees, nearly smacking him on the head. Turned out to be a different kind of caterpillar. It spun a cocoon that day, and hatched this evening.


















A Luna moth!



PS. Just got a new camera

[emmline]

Very pretty!

[Denny]

good fer both of ya!

[chas]

That's lovely.

We got a batch of luna caterpillars last year, but none of them survived. So we (the royal we, meaning Danielle) did a lot of research before rearing the batch of polyphemus this year. I still want to do lunas. They just may be the most beautiful animal on the planet.

[Lambchop]

And, umm, was he . . . tasty?

[Caroluna]

[Lambchop]

Ooooh! Key lime pie! One of my favorites!

[Caroluna]

That's lovely.

Yes, I was thrilled! I've never seen that before. I almost missed it.

So we (the royal we, meaning Danielle) did a lot of research before rearing the batch of polyphemus this year.

Did you get any matings? (the polyphemus I mean )

We still haven't had any polyphemus hatch out.

They just may be the most beautiful animal on the planet.

I agree. I was happy with how the pictures turned out, but still to see a newly-hatched one in person was a whole different thing. The greens are so vivid and with a water-color-like translucence...the moth's body covered with soft white "fur"...and then there's the elegant purple leggings!

[cowtime]

Amazing!

[izzarina]

Who knew that Lunas started out as sausages!

How totally cool! I would love to have seen the look on your face when you saw what it was!

[Walden]

Luna moths are beautiful, yet sort of poetically tragic, no longer than they live after emerging as such magnificent creatures.

[Redwolf]

All those years in North Carolina, and I only saw a luna moth once! They are such amazingly beautiful creatures.

Redwolf

[chas]

That's lovely.

Yes, I was thrilled! I've never seen that before. I almost missed it.

So we (the royal we, meaning Danielle) did a lot of research before rearing the batch of polyphemus this year.

Did you get any matings? (the polyphemus I mean )

Not yet. We've had maybe a dozen eclose. First couple of females we left in an open room in a cage; no bites. Then we put them on the back balcony (kind of dangerous, raccoons, birds and all that), still nothing. We left some male and female siblings in one enclosure, still nothing. We're beginning to think they're not that bright. Will letcha know.