Today on my walk I found a luna moth on the road. It was not damaged but it was dead. I had no idea they inhabited New York State. Having seen them before only in Italy, I thought they liked warmer climes. If you haven’t seen one before (which is typical since they are night creatures and only live for a week or two in the flying insect stage) they are a beautiful incandescent light green color. They seem to glow with an eerie light like swamp gas or marsh wisps. Their wings are very delicate, like a butterfly’s, but with these elongated tips which curve outwards. They are also quite large and can, I believe, grow to the size of a small child’s hands. This particular one fit in my palm. They have a false eyespot on each wing to fend off attackers- although most birds steer clear of moths and butterflies because they taste awful- and feathery antennae. Their bodies are covered in fuzzy white feathers.
If I believed in fairies (of course I do) these delicate, fragile creatures would come closest to them. Many people I know are scared of moths. I don’t know why. Because some of them eat sweaters? Because they flap against outdoor lighting? Because they make that soft thwump thwump sound? Because they sort of bumble?
If you looked at them more closely, you would see that they are kind of teddy-bearish. Soft and fluffy with friendly big black round eyes. And not an insect-ery as butterflies for instance which get all the credit and applause. I like things of the night like bats and fireflies and moths with their muffled wings and their uncoordinated dances.
(Plant persimmon, birch and alder if you want to feed the luna moth caterpillars which are great big lovely green things.)
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