Fuzzy Wuzzy Was A...

...Hickory horned devil? Indeed he was.

Citheronia regalis  (regal indeed) or Royal Walnut moth

Speaking of horned insects (referring to the last blog... posted minutes ago because I'm feeling moderately motivated and making up for lost time...) here is a sweet and friendly giant moth.

Pay no attention to the fact that my palm is enormous and super shiny, non-calloused palms that haven't seen a weight bar in a while... erm. .(shifty eyes..) Just look at the moth.

Oh, but wait... because you need to know that I just learned something and you need to know this too. How I made it to nearly 40 without knowing this is truly baffling BUT... apparently caterpillars turn into goo inside their chrysalises until they regenerate into their final life stage be it moth or butterfly. For real. Again, I am not trying to fool anyone into thinking I am an entomologist or really know what I'm talking about.. ever.

Back to moth pictures..

All moth photos are mine.

Horned Devil by Cozytailmom on deviantART

See how fuzzy? Nuts! I love him! .. or her..



Another full body shot...



The hickory horned larvae is even crazier looking than its moth:
photo credit: Chris Hibbard

Beauty in Death

“What we call ‘death,’ is but the painful metamorphosis.”  

 Edgar Allan Poe - Mesmeric Revelation

While continuing to recognize National Moth Week, I thought I would take my revelry in a different direction and celebrate the beauty in their death. After all, thanks to their affinity for bird and bat attracting porch lights and limiting biology, many moths have rather short lifespans. However, it's comforting to know we can still appreciate their beauty, long after their little moth souls have left their bodies.

This lovely luna most likely departed this world in violent manner. I explained to a friend that the tragedy lies in the short time we get to spend with these unique creatures due to their natural short life span, about 7 days. She disagreed and felt the saddest thing of all for this sweetie is its lack of mouth. How awful to live for seven days without a belleh-full!

Lovely Remains by Cozytailmom on deviantART

The scattered limbs and missing wings do not detract from the haunting beauty of this moth.

I suspect this Polyphemus moth was the very one playing peek-a-boo with me in the morning. Alas… he should have flown for the safety of the woods like I suggested. Now, he’s just a lovely remain.

Last Flight of Polyphemus by Cozytailmom on deviantART

In life? Peek-a-boo!

“…for Mercutio’s soul

Is but a little way above our heads,

Staying for thine to keep him company.

Either thou or I, or both, must go with him.” 

Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet

Every picture I took of this luminescent moth had an aura. I suspect, like Mercutio, this white ermine's soul hovered a bit before leaving us. 

Finally, a bleak reminder that death comes to even the prettiest among us. Obviously he's not a moth, but RIP swallowtail.

 

"Only the perishable can be beautiful..." -Wallace Stevens

All photos by me. 

Hey! National Moth Week is Coming Up

What do you mean you never heard of it? It's next week! The project is considered a "citizen science project" so go check out their website here and help out, if you can. 

To celebrate, I'll post some of my recent moth shots for which we can thank the porch light!

First, one of my favorites, the lovely rose moth, (Dryocampa rubicunda).
Rose Moth by Cozytailmom on deviantART


Crazy green owlet on a screen (Leuconycta)


Green Owlet on the Green Screen by Cozytailmom on deviantART


Handsome banded tussock (Halysidota tessellaris)


Banded Tussock at the Front Door by Cozytailmom on deviantART

Another view of this sharp dressed moth that I was unable to add to the deviant page for some bizarre reason. Humph

Have I got more? Heck yes!

How do you like this giant leopard moth? (Hypercompe scribonia)

Giant Leopard Moth by Cozytailmom on deviantART


...and lastly ( for now.. ) one of my favorites of the summer so far, the clymene moth (Haploa clymene).


Clymene Moth by Cozytailmom on deviantART

I'll certainly post more moths in the next week, but first you can expect a CRAZY beetle blog. I mean, a knock your socks off and don't step on THAT thing kinda post.

All photos by me.

A Dinner Party Tragedy

Truly tragic tales accompany this luna moth photo. The first being that I took the picture on my phone and gave it the Instagram treatment. The resolution is not great, but I think the graininess is a fitting 90s artsy angst.
The second sadness is that I informed my house guests of the alluring luna's short life span (7 days max) after they all decided that it truly was a bug they could love.
The worst of all revelations came after our own glutonous feasting when I revealed that lunas can not eat after metamorphosis. I suspect some guests left crying. For real...

Actias Luna 


'Till My Dying Day by Cozytailmom on deviantART



Photo by Christie Acker. Print available on Deviant Art.

Rose Colored Glasses Make Everyone Pretty

There she is, Miss Mothera...

photo by CTMom

Easily the prettiest bug to visit these parts in a while, meet the rosy maple moth (dryocampa rubicunda). I'm just going to say this specimen is a female because I'm tired of the males in the animal kingdom getting all the good looks. Plus, I read that the females have bushier antennae than the males and these antennae look rather bushy to me. So there!  I am now finished with my diva rant on behalf of plain-lookin' females everywhere.

Hubba Hubba

Hunks! I know how to find them. I am referring, of course, to this tomato hornworm and not the guy behind it because he’s my brother and calling him a hunk would be gross. But really, everywhere I go I find the biggest, juiciest and most bizarre bugs. Spotting them is kinda like my secret super power. I realized over this past summer that I could be content if my only job was to travel the world and take pictures of insects. If that were my actual job, I would certainly post more blog entries. I think I have a year or more worth of bug pics to share.


When I first saw the tomato hornworm munching on my parent’s garden I thought it would most definitely metamorphosis into the most incredible moth. Unfortunately, no. The moth is quite plain and the grub is loathed by tomato growers everywhere. I’ll always have a place in my heart for you, you giant squishy!

I Got Your Foliage Right Here

Not expecting a big leaf show this year? Drought got you down? Check out this moth in all his leafy mimicking glory. (yes it's on the same lamppost where the luna was photographed)



Check out his cute autumn undercarraige. Sorry for the lousy focus... again.. I need a new camera...

Photos by CtMom

I'm not exactly sure what type of moth this is.. I'm looking now.