Máistir Nádúraí: Silk Moths

7.05.2007

Silk Moths

I've been thinking about silk moths lately and how long it's been since I've seen one. About a week ago Jane McCarthy found a Cecropia Moth on her property and was super excited to tell me about it. Yesterday, Dottie Johnson emailed me saying she helped Ken Wood hatch and release his Promethea Moths a few nights ago. Pictured above, the last large silk moth I encountered was a Luna Moth (my favorite) at Nine Springs around 5 years ago. Have you seen a silk moth lately?

Luna Moth © 2007 Mike McDowell

Bio:

Mike McDowell has been documenting southern Wisconsin’s flora and fauna since 1987 and began leading field trips in 2002. Prolific at Pheasant Branch Conservancy, other highlighted natural areas include Pope Farm Conservancy, Spring Green Preserve, and the Baraboo Hills. His nature photography has appeared in various publications, newspapers, magazines and was even featured on a Wisconsin Endangered Resources license plate, a Capital Brewery beer label, and a National Geographic publication. He began journaling nature observations on this blog in 2005. He's the recipient of the 2012 Bronze Passenger Pigeon Award from the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their local communities or state to promote the field of ornithology. He was a finalist in Swarovski’s Digiscoper of the Year photography contest several times. His other interests include insect macro-photography (especially tiger beetles, treehoppers, and robber flies), fossil collecting, amateur astronomy, botany, natural history, and marksmanship with long-range firearms. Once a gigging musician, collecting Fender Stratocasters is a recently revived interest—most prized being a 1957 Vintage Custom 'Mary Kaye' White Blonde. A former IT Professional, he's spent the last 24 years employed in the sport optics industry and has more binoculars than you.