Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: excited

Luna Moth

This evening, I saw ...



... this awesome luna moth clinging to a bush in our yard. I am immensely flattered: these are rare, lovely creatures and fussy about where they live. Also rather fey. This is only the second live one I've seen; the other was years ago, on a trip far to the south of here. It's like going outside to find the moon come down to Earth, with wings of smooth green cheese.
Tags: illinois, nature, photography, wildlife
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  • 22 comments

Deleted comment

ysabetwordsmith

Yes...

ysabetwordsmith

June 7 2011, 02:04:28 UTC 10 years ago

They are among the most beautiful of moths, along with the cecropia (uncommon, but I've seen those here repeatedly).
the_vulture

the_vulture

June 7 2011, 01:46:11 UTC 10 years ago

Oooo! Pretty!
whuffle

whuffle

June 7 2011, 03:26:16 UTC 10 years ago

I can still remember the eerie image of what had to be dozens, possibly as many as a hundred, luna moths coming out of the woods surrounding the backlot of one of the theatres where I worked one summer. It was late at night after a show had been taken down. We still had building left to do before morning for the next show's put in. We turned on the yard's floodlights and the moths came streaming out of the woods to dance and sway in the light. We found them perched on everything the next morning. Construction schematics, table saws, paint buckets. But for that one moment when they came streaming out of the woods, the world was a place full of magic.
ysabetwordsmith

Wow!

ysabetwordsmith

June 7 2011, 03:29:34 UTC 10 years ago

That does sound magical! Thank you for sharing.
whuffle

Re: Wow!

whuffle

10 years ago

  • New comment
ysabetwordsmith

Re: Wow!

ysabetwordsmith

10 years ago

  • New comment
jake67jake

jake67jake

June 7 2011, 05:03:15 UTC 10 years ago

They are very common here in the spring.

We were at a professional women's football game a few weeks ago, and they were swarming the lights... very cool.

J
ysabetwordsmith

Wow!

ysabetwordsmith

June 7 2011, 05:06:39 UTC 10 years ago

You are lucky to have so many.
zizi_west

zizi_west

June 7 2011, 05:10:14 UTC 10 years ago

Lovely image, and a lovely description as well!
ysabetwordsmith

Thank you!

ysabetwordsmith

June 7 2011, 05:33:59 UTC 10 years ago

I'm glad you enjoyed the post.
dragonmyst

dragonmyst

June 7 2011, 05:23:33 UTC 10 years ago

omg how pretty!

What an honor.
ysabetwordsmith

Yes...

ysabetwordsmith

June 7 2011, 05:33:38 UTC 10 years ago

So it is.

Wildlife is becoming increasingly fond of my yard. Just this week, we saw quail on the road near our house. We've long since heard them, but that was the first eye contact for us. And I followed a rabbit around a quarter of the prairie garden this evening, along the mowed path, before it finally dived into the tall grass. Oodles of rabbits we've always had, but it's kind of fun to watch them.
rhodielady_47

rhodielady_47

June 7 2011, 07:20:14 UTC 10 years ago

"It's like going outside to find the moon come down to Earth, with wings of smooth green cheese."

Loved reading this!
:)
ysabetwordsmith

Thank you!

ysabetwordsmith

June 7 2011, 07:44:00 UTC 10 years ago

I got a poem out of this, too, with somewhat similar phrasing.
rhodielady_47

Re: Thank you!

rhodielady_47

10 years ago

  • New comment
ysabetwordsmith

Re: Thank you!

ysabetwordsmith

10 years ago

  • New comment
rhodielady_47

Re: Thank you!

rhodielady_47

10 years ago

  • New comment
ysabetwordsmith

Re: Thank you!

ysabetwordsmith

10 years ago

  • New comment
tabard

tabard

June 7 2011, 17:41:27 UTC 10 years ago

We had one of these lovely young fellows (with huge fuzzy antennae) visit us one evening a few days after we moved into the new house. I got a couple fuzzy cellphone pictures of him because I've never seen one in person before. Now I'm even more happy I did. I didn't realize they were so rare! :)
ysabetwordsmith

Thoughts

ysabetwordsmith

June 7 2011, 17:47:31 UTC 10 years ago

>>We had one of these lovely young fellows (with huge fuzzy antennae) <<

Probably a female then; they have bigger antennae.

>> I didn't realize they were so rare! <<

It varies regionally; some folks have mentioned seeing multiples. In many areas they're rare, though.
cissa

cissa

June 7 2011, 21:50:41 UTC 10 years ago

Ooo! They are so gorgeous!!!!
endlessrarities

endlessrarities

June 11 2011, 17:11:31 UTC 10 years ago

Gorgeous!

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