Sitting on the deck just past dusk tonight, my husband was working on his laptop (wayyyy too dedicated - or...) a huge moth - I think - circled his head and came back one more time. He almost swatted it by instinct, but I saw it was a moth and told him not to. It flew like it was a butterfly - but larger - about 4 + inches. It was too dark to see it better. I've seen sphinx moths (known as hummingbird moths, I think) going for my pitiful late summer petunias at dusk, but this one was way bigger. I looked up luna moths, but since I couldn't see its color and know those are so rare, I'm really fascinated and curious. Any ideas? I'm in zone 9A - around Conroe, TX where this happened.
huge nightflying moth id?
It could be so many kinds. Without a better description we probably won't be able to help you
Thanks Donna - I think I'll send him out again with his laptop to see if the light attracts it again. Tonight with no laptop we didn't see anything. Oh so interesting, though!
Maybe it was a bat! Just kidding.....
No - really - I thought about a bat! The little booger was attracted to the light of the computer screen, so I thought it must be a moth. My research will involve sending him out with laptop on another night and I'll pay close attention! Nature attracted by technology... too weird!
A luna moth, although light green, looks white at night and is hard to mistake as anything else.
A cecropia moth is orange and brown - they are big and beautiful.