found in my garden
#1
here are pics of a butterfly that just hatched - I was sweeping and almost swept it up (before it started to fluff out the wings). You can see the wings arent fully open on the edges. I put it on a bush and about 10 min later it flew to the top of a tree. I never saw one like this and when I looked up the pics I took I found it was called a silk butterfly. Very pretty, and I have to watch for the caterpillers, cus I think I picked one off my tomatoes (it looks something like a horn worm w/o the horn). sharet
(I think it looks like a cat's face to scare away birds from eating it)
(I think it looks like a cat's face to scare away birds from eating it)
#5
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 10,590
What a beautiful butterfly and big too! It kind of reminds me of a Luna Moth because of the fuzzy body and size. Except Luna Moths are green and have the swallow tail type wings. What a treat to find this in your yard.
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Iowa
Posts: 8,816
I believe that is a beautiful specimen of a Cecropia Moth. Aren't they just awesomely gorgeous. We have these in our garden sometimes. Thank you for sharing.
http://www.google.com/search?q=cecro...Q&ved=0CCkQsAQ
http://www.google.com/search?q=cecro...Q&ved=0CCkQsAQ
#10
yes, moth, here's a link that shows the caterpiller too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antheraea_polyphemus
I thought I remembered silk butterfly, not giant silk moth. Pretty just the same. If I'm carefull I can keep an eye open for the caterpillers sharet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antheraea_polyphemus
I thought I remembered silk butterfly, not giant silk moth. Pretty just the same. If I'm carefull I can keep an eye open for the caterpillers sharet