My, what big eyes you have! And big bushy antennae, too! The Polyphemus silk moth (Antheraea polyphemus), named for the man-eating giant cyclops in Greek mythology, has wing spots resembling eyes. This male Polyphemus moth (females have smaller, thinner antennae) was found flopping around the parking lot on Tuesday morning during Habitat Garden Club. It was later carried off by a bright red male cardinal. No doubt, such a chunky body was a nice breakfast for the bird.
Plenty of host plants for the caterpillars can be found around the parking lot and the habitat gardens — oak, ash, birch, dogwood, elm, hickory, maple, and willow — so we hope to see more of these big beautiful moths!
Photos by Michelle Reynolds
