Subject: Daniel…1 more for a cold beer! hehe
Location: N. Mississippi outside of Memphis, TN.
July 11, 2012 10:09 am
Hey again!
I looked on the site for this last ID. She/he was HUGE! Some kids were going to kill it on the gas pump. I threatened them within an inch of their life and gently allowed ”her” to crawl up on my hand. I got back to the car, and she rode on my thigh (had shorts on) all the way home. I then took her to a woody area behind the house and hid her in the bushes till she decided to fly away on her own. She was absolutely MAGNIFICIENT!
Thanks for the help!
Signature: Stephanie Berry
Hi again Stephanie,
This is the second photo we have posted in the past 24 hours of a lovely insect accessory. The first was of a Sphinx Moth. This is an Imperial Moth and we believe she is a female. According to BugGuide: “Adult: wings yellow, variably spotted and shaded with pinkish, orangish, or purplish-brown; male more heavily marked than female, especially in the south.” Your individual is intermediate in coloration, so it could be a dark female or a light male. Too bad the antennae are not visible as that helps to determine sex. We also want to commend you on the dramatic rescue of this harmless Imperial Moth from a gang of ruffians at the gas station. For that you are getting tagged with the Bug Humanitarian Award for folks who go out of their way to assist insects and other arthropods that are in imminent peril or who contribute in a positive way to habitat for the lower beasts.
You made my bug day!!!! They call me Ellie Mae Clampett because I rescue everything whether its wants to be rescued or not! LoL.
I’ll have the Corona with lime waiting on you! Hehe
Steph
I found a female imperial today and while looking to find out what it was I found this site. She was awesome. I think the heat was getting to her because she was sitting on concrete. I took her in and she cooled down a few minutes so I took her back outside and she flew away. Sad to see her go but happy she is alive. Like you I rescue everything. My wife will not even tell me about a spider in the house anymore because I take them outside.