Danger Discovers Giant Moth

Meet Danger reenacting the scene from Monday night when she discovered a big beige moth. Image 1

Image 2 showing the 5&5/8" wing span.

Image 3 shows off those classic painted eyes.

On Monday night towards dusk I was in the way out back messing with the post production food compost that I have been trying to perfect for what seems like 2 seasons now. I finished and started back for the house when I noticed Danger the yellow dog(aka Seal Blubber) sitting over to the side. "Come on girl", I yelled. She did not move. Instead I watched her lower her head and put her nose to the ground. Then she wagged her whole body and rose back to the sitting position smiling at me with intent. I walked over and at Danger's front feet was a large dead moth. Good girl. Danger's olfactory senses seem to be the keenest in the pack. I would have never found this moth without her.

This moth is bigger than any I had ever seen. I took the specimen into the house and measured the wing span. 5 & 5/8 inches, tip to tip. Next, seeing I do not have a field manual for moths I fired up the machine and went to task trying to identify the species of this former caterpillar turned cocoon then winged flier. The computer knows everything so within minutes I had it. POLYPHEMUS, Anthera polyphemus. This moth apparently is at home in North America from Mexico, through America and into southern Canada.

After identifying the moth I pulled out my light stands and insect studio white back drop to make some pictures for documentation and prosperity. Since the moth was dead it was easy to put it in position for photographing, there was no twitchy arguments from my subject. I took a few looking into the front of the moth then turned the set around to make a few from behind. It was amazing to see those painted eyes on his back wings jump out against the clean white back drop.