A Fluttery Kind of Day!

Deryl found a freshly emerged Cecropia Moth on our street this morning. He convinced it to crawl onto a stick and carried it home. It seems to like our tree. Hopefully it will find a mate over night! The wingspan was greater than 6 inches!!

Close up view of the amazing colours on the body: If you look closely, you can see the feathery antennae. The moth spent some time pumping fluid into its wings and abdomen after being confined inside the cocoon all winter.

Like the Polyphemus Moth I found a few days ago, this adult Cecropia Moth will not eat. Its purpose at the adult stage is to mate and reproduce. If it hasn't become prey for another critter, it will likely die within 2 weeks. I'm not sure if this is the male or female.  Females produce natural chemicals called pheromones which can attract males from a mile away!

https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Invertebrates/Cecropia-Moth#:~:text=A%20female%20moth%20produces%20natural,they%20are%20black%20in%20color.

Common Ringlets flit slowly, with a bouncing flight, just above or down among the grasses, often landing on grass stems. (The Rom Field Guide to Butterflies of Ontario, Peter W. Hall, et al) I was very pleased to find one sitting still and nectaring on some Fleabane above the grasses!

There were several Peck's and Hobomok Skippers in the grasses at Canatara today. The top skipper is a Peck's. The lower butterfly is a Northern Crescent. I think they were having a territorial stand off!