The other day, I pulled the car into the driveway and my son noticed this guy (or girl) hanging out on the side of the garage door.
Apparently, my garage is very attractive to luna moths because this because this is the second year in a row this fancy looking bug has dropped in for a week long visit. He drops in, hangs out in exactly the same spot for DAYS, and then suddenly, he's gone.
Lest you think a Luna Moth is just like a regular moth, only green, let me show you another picture:
Luna moth... and my hand. Check out the size. He's like a small mammal, for God's sake... and you can see, he was not fazed in the least to have my hand right next to him while he rested there on the door frame. I have a few questions regarding Mr. (or Ms.) Luna Moth:
What the heck is it doing?
Where did it come from, and how in the hell can it find its way back to the exact same spot two years in a row? I'm not even kidding when I say it's on the same side of the garage door it was on last year.
Is there some symbolism going on here? Is there some cosmic change in the works or is it.... jus springtime again. If you're bored, google Luna Moths. There's a whole lost of info out there. Weird.
Who is this little guy? Is this the opposite sex counterpart to Mr. or Ms. Luna moth? It was hanging out patiently quite nearby.
and lastly...
Maybe this is a stupid question, but are Luna Moths the marketing symbol for Lunesta?
I think I need to get out more. Or maybe I just need more sleep.
They are so beautiful. There is a Luna Moth by my home as well, he's been there for 3 days now and in the same spot. I heard they only live for 7 days...I hope he doesn't use up all of his time sitting in the same spot.
ReplyDeleteBTW, the other moth is a Rosy Maple Moth. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryocampa_rubicunda
Cool! thanks for the info! I think the other one is really cute, too.
ReplyDeleteLuna moths live for a year, but only the last 5-10 days as a winged adult. Yours may have ended up on your garage because your outdoor light was on all night. The males (that's a male) fly around in the late evening trying to find a female. Then, they rest all day before taking flight the next evening. And yes, Lunesta uses a Luna moth like animation in its U.S. advertising.
ReplyDeleteFemales are the same size and coloring, but antennae are slender compared to the elaborately branched antennae of the males.
thanks for the information! The garage light theory makes a whole lot of sense. :-)
ReplyDelete