Tag: Subfamily Saturniinae

MORE WINGED BEAUTIES!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns
Reader Biranne writes,
Hi Kim, I have seen Monarchs in my yard but only managed to capture this Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. Pretty blue & orange tail!Ā BrianneĀ 

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

This gorgeous moth was photographed by one of our readers and she wrote to ask what species? We have here a male Polyphemus Moth, a member of the Family Saturnidae (Wild Silk Moths). Polyphemus moths are widely distributed throughout Massachusetts but we rarely see them because they fly at night and because their life as an adult is so brief. This giant beauty is only on the wing for about two weeks, spending most of its life in trees in the caterpillar and cocoon stages. The caterpillars eat a wide variety of trees and shrubs includingĀ maple (Acer), and birch (Betula),Ā oak (Quercus), and willow (Salix).Ā 

Like nearly all members of our Wild Silk Moth family, they are in sharp decline, mostly because of the pesticides people spray their trees to rid them of non-native invasive moths, and because of the tachnid fly, which was introduced to control Gypsy Moths, a biological control gone terribly wrong.

Polyphemus Moth

Debra Martell writes that on July 19th, Gloucester High School History teacher, Michael Perreault, captured this shot of a Monarch on Purple Coneflower in Magnolia.Monarch Butterfly

RESPLENDENT NEWLY EMERGED LUNA MOTHS!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Male Female Luna Moth dorsal Copyright Kim SmithConsidered by many to be North America’s most beautiful insect, a newly emerged Luna Moth will melt the heart of even the most vehementĀ of insectophobes. These male and female pristine beauties were photographed at new friend Jane’s lush garden in Gloucester. Jane, along withĀ her friend Christine (who we met last week), intend to repopulate Cape Ann with members of our nativeĀ Giant Silkmoth Family. See story here.Male Female Luna Moth underside ventral Copyright Kim Smith copy

In the photo above, the female is in the lower right. You can easily tell the difference because the male has much fuller antennae–all the better to detect the female’s pheromones.

Female Luna Moth Copyright Kim SmithHer abdomen is swollen with eggs. A female Luna Moth will oviposit between 400 to 600 eggs, more during warm weather.

Not quite as large as the Cecropia Moth, nonetheless its wings span nearly four and a half inches. You are most likely to see Luna Moths flying during evening hoursĀ and the caterpillars munching on birch leaves, one of their favorite food plants in our region. The adult moths only live for a week and during that time are unable to eat (they emerge without mouthparts). The matureĀ Luna Moth’sĀ sole purpose is to mate and deposit eggs of the next generation.

Many thanks to Christine and Jane for sharing their passion for the gorgeousĀ Giant Silkmoths!

This short film of a Luna Moth in flight was made after finding a Luna Moth at Willowdale Estate. I returned home with the moth and as evening approached it began to quiver and vibrate in preparation for flight.Ā I had been listening to Ave Maria and it was playing in the background so I left it in the videoĀ andĀ think the music perfect for this most stunning ofĀ creatures.

Jane’s Garden

Blue poppies Meconopsis coyright Kim SmithRare-for-these-parts Blue Poppy (Meconopsis rudis)

Jane's Garden copyright Kim SmithPink Poppies copyright Kim Smith

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP THESE GINORMOUS GORGEOUS MOTHS MAKE A COMEBACK!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Cecropia Moth Male copyright Kim Smith

Christine holding male Cecropia Moth

This newly emerged Cercropia Moth, the largest species of Lepidoptera found in North America, was photographed at the home of my new friend Christine. She lives on the backshoreĀ ofĀ GloucesterĀ and,Ā with her friendĀ Jane,Ā who lives on the opposite side of Gloucester in theĀ Lanesville area, are trying to repopulate Cape Ann with several species of theĀ stunning andĀ charismatic moths of the Saturn Family. These include the Cecropia Moth (commonly called Robin Moth), Luna Moth, and Polyphemus Moth.

Where formerly abundant, these most beautiful members of the native Giant Silkworm Moth group of Lepidoptera are at extreme risk of becoming extirpated (extinct from a region). Christine recalls a time when she could easily find the cocoons in her neighborhood. Now she finds none. The reasons for their decline areĀ severalfold; loss of habitat, theĀ poisonĀ in theĀ pesticides sprayed on trees is highly toxic to all insects, and because they are suffering from a parasitism by a tachinid fly (Compsilura concinnata) that was introducedĀ to control the Gypsy Moth. Each and every person on Cape Ann can help these moths make a comeback by making a commitment to not use pesticides and herbicides, for any reason, ever.

Cecropia moth cocoon copyright Kim Smith

Cecropia Moth cocoon

Christine and JaneĀ purchase the cocoons at Magic Wings in Deerfield, MA. They place the cocoons in the screened butterfly house where they have also placedĀ branches ofĀ the caterpillar’s food plant (in this case, birch branches). Cecropia Moth caterpillar food plants include the foliage of maple, birch, ash, apple, cherry, and lilac.

Screened butterfly cage-house copyright Kim Smith

If both male and female are present, they will mate almost immediately, within the first day or two, and the female will begin depositing eggs soon after. She releases the eggs on nearly every surface within the enclosure, dozens and dozens of eggs, up to 100!

Cecropia moth eggs copyright Kim Smith

Cecropia Moth eggs

If the eggs are viable, within several weeks, the caterpillars will chew their way out of the egg casing and begin to eat the caterpillar food plants provided.

PerhapsĀ like Christine and Jane who, moth by moth, are trying to save our native Giant Silkworm Moths, you’ll be inspired to raise these North American beauties, too!

More photos to come if a batch of caterpillars emerges.

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