A Most Unfortunate Encounter

Tragedy struck, quite literally. Driving home this evening with my hubby, a beautiful male cecropia moth flew out into traffic. It was briefly illuminated in our headlights before we struck the poor creature. This is not how I wished it's fate to be.

Silkworm moths, especially larger ones like the luna, promethia, and cecropia (the largest of them all), are on my list of those I wish to rear from egg to adulthood. Happily, we did once raise a female cecropia from a last instar caterpillar, and also had the cocoon of a male that emerged one spring, but I'd love to see the full life cycle and experience more of these magnificent marvels.

On a happier note, earlier today, my son pointed out a giant swallowtail nectaring in Big Falls County Park. Stunning!!! --LKR

Cecropia Moth

This is a picture of a male Cecropia moth. Although female Cecropias are more noticably larger than males, males have larger feathery antennae than females. Males use these to catch the scent of a female.

Cecropia moths are part of the silk moth family. None of the silk moths eat as adults because they don't have mouth parts. Their sole purpose as adults is to mate, lay eggs (only females, of course!), and die. They only live for about two weeks.

Both butterflies and moths smell with their antennae and taste with their feet. These help them find food as well as host plants on which they lay their eggs. A host plant is a specific plant that certain species of butterfly's and moth's larvae (caterpillars) can eat. --LKR