We didn't know what it was but we knew it was an amazing creature. We looked it up and it turns out to be a Polyphemus Moth.
I think it is beautiful, it just sat there and let us take pictures. Here it is with the wings open.
Look at what we found by our front door last night.
And here it is with the wings closed. We had never seen this one before.
He's a beauty!
Carla
Beautiful...Josephine!
That's just beautiful - what a treat!
That's spectacular, Josephine. God is the greatest
artist of all.
Your are right Manhot, His wonders never cease!
It was such a treat to find that beautiful creature at our door.
Wow! That is gorgeous, Josephine. :-)
Wow he is georgeous!! great picture
Congrats Frostweed! I think it's a 'he' because of the feathered antennae, beautiful!
Wow, that's a beauty! Is it normally in this area? I keep wondering if any of the butterflies from Botanic Garden's exhibit a year or so ago escaped in our area.
That's an exciting find! Don't the cats burrow in the ground? Is this the same as 'hummingbird moth'? If so, I had one devour 2 entire pentas last year before going into the ground. I just let him eat to his hearts content.
My moth book says they are 'common in the US'.
Last year a Poly cat dropped from an Oak tree to the sidewalk when I was walking by. It was huge and made quite a thump. I brought him home and put some soil and leaves in a container for him to pupate, but he wasn't happy. So, I let him climb up one of my trees and sadly watched until he was out of sight. I hope he made it. They're slow cats and easy prey for predators.
They're named after the Greek mythology one-eyed monster Cyclops named Polyphemus, because of the eye spots on its hindwings.
http://greekmythology.pbwiki.com/Cyclops
They're so pretty. As cats and moths.