Subject: Prometheus Moth? Female or Male
Location: Salem Oregon right about at the 45th parallel
June 13, 2012 3:50 pm
My brother- who did a stint at the Smithsonian Insect Museum as a teen when I was a little kid- says this is a Prometheus moth. So far he looks correct, of which I had little doubt :). girl or boy? I am sending pics of last nights shots and todays. June 12/13 2012. Since you might want them for something. she is just hanging out on a wall, next to kale fennel and other veggies…
Signature: Mona
This is actually a male Polyphemus Moth.
See: 2012/04/03/polyphemus-moth-41/
and : http://bugguide.net/node/view/427
Daniel,
thank you so much for ID’ing him. I appreciate it. And frankly between you me and the bedpost, I take a small bit of ‘little sister’ pleasure out of that fact that my brother was wrong 🙂 …
Poly was gone when I got home later in the evening, maybe he’ll come back so I can see his super pretty blue spots. I have some sweet pea flowers growing and a lot of dianthus already blooming as well as various lavenders- all pots… There is a small maple in a pot and a tree nearby… as well as a wild space behind my complex that the city (Salem, Oregon) has cultivated. And this year I came up with a creative way to kill weeds in a non toxic way so the gardeners don’t spray herbicides on stuff (at least not back in my patch) so maybe whatever food source will attract more 🙂
again, thanks, off to research him so I can figure out why he dropped by. I do have a vibe of ‘come hang out, I mean you no harm’ coming from my apartment, but I doubt it’s just that…. who knows? enjoy your summer and thanks again 🙂
sincerely Mona