The most beautiful moth is on my back door: "Anthera Polyphemus"

[DemoTex]

I called my dad, a retired professor of entomology, and he keyed it out in his amazing mind. I Googled his suggestion and it matched.



This plate doesn't do the colors justice. The wings were more of a yellow/gold/green and the markings a brown/deep-magenta. It was colors that would cost you $1000/yard in a fabric. I touched the moth to see if it was alive. It slowly spread it's wings, revealing the eye markings like two eyelids opening. It was breathtaking. Oh the mountains!

[mr_hat]

1. Mothra!

[jpgray]

2. Where are the two tiny singing women? (nt)

[TheWizardOfMudd]

7. Here they are

[DemoTex]

12. Where's the flame?

.

[GOPFighter]

3. Where did you see it?

Our cabin in West Virginia is a moth magnet. We had a Luna moth last fall - the Luna is another delicately beautiful moth. I think I'll start taking pictures of them.

[DemoTex]

4. I have at least five dead Luna moths every morning ...

This place is a moth/butterfly/bat/bird magnet. It is great! We are on a famous flyway that is celebrated at a pass on the Blue Ridge Parkway that is very close to here (10 miles as-the-butterfly-flies).

[bigwillq]

5. Care to share any pics of the Luna? (nt)

[DemoTex]

9. "Actias luna"

This is a big moth. Probably 3-4 inched stem-to-stern.

[bigwillq]

6. Wow that is one cool moth

It looks big in the pic. Is it really that big?

[DemoTex]

10. No, it is a relatively small moth.

I would guess 1.5 inch stem-to-stern (my entomologist dad would love that nautical description), with a 2-inch wing-span.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

8. For some reason the movie "Fright Night II" springs to mind. (nt)

[arwalden]

11. Wow! Very nice!

Thanks for sharing that... you're very lucky!!

-- Allen

[DemoTex]

13. I am lucky to share it, Allen.

Enjoy, my friend.

[Flaxbee]

14. lovely, aren't they? Had a fella just like this on my screen

a few weeks ago. Lush, rich, amber-colored "fur" (for lack of a better word) on the body, incredible antennae and wings just like this picture.

Spectacular, I couldn't help but gawk at him all morning. He showed up one evening, and hung around until about 3pm next day.

[-..__...]

15. Nothing that a can of WD-40 and a lighter can't take care of...

Just kidding... :D

I used to collect insects as a kid. Although as a city boy my specimens were rather limited... use your imagination.

I've always thought Luna moths were pretty cool looking.



Or an Atlas moth that can have a 1 foot wingspan.



If you're ever in the MA area, check out the Butterfly Place (there's no moth discrimination).

http://www.butterflyplace-ma.com

It's pretty amazing.