Anyway, we found this little dude last summer perched on the porch bench of my parents' cabin up in the White Mountains of Arizona. We were all pretty freaked out by it, because it was looking at us, with two sets of "eyes"! Anyone know anything about this particular creature?
*Update: Many thanks to Jenny, who has determined, after a detailed probe, that our specimen is, in fact, a MOTH.
*Update: Many thanks to Jenny, who has determined, after a detailed probe, that our specimen is, in fact, a MOTH.*Second Update: Jenny has a sneaky hubby with a bug book who posted under an assumed name. Read Jenny's comment for further details.
That is one cool-looking insect! It's a moth if it has furry or comb-like antenna - that actually looks like a butterfly (it's hard to tell from the picture alone).
ReplyDeleteThey opened a butterfly garden at the Natural History Museum a couple years ago and it is the coolest place! You go into this giant greenhouse and they will fly and land right on you - hundreds of them and all gorgeous! It's the coolest, and guaranteed to bring a giant smile to your face :).
Boring! LMBO! hahahaha
ReplyDeleteThe exhibit callmemama mentions also happens for you Richmond, VA folk in the fall at Lewis Gint.er Botanical Garden in their big greenhouse. It really is amazing to have all the butterflies flying all around you. I remember seeing a similar looking butterfly as the one above at that exhibit. I'm not sure if it was the same colors, but I definitely remember the "eyes" on its wings which is apparently protection against predators.
ReplyDeleteShhhh, Sew! I might actually have a more productive day now.
ReplyDeleteWeird moth/butterfly. Now that I know you have weird insects in addition to cacti, I might have to come visit. (The cactus alone would not have done it).
About time ;-)
ReplyDeleteI hate insects and bugs and nature!!!! (I'm trying to be controversial... Did it work???)
ReplyDeleteYeah, Jenny freaks out about going to the zoo. The zoo?! And heaven forbid you suggest going to feed ducks when/if she visits. She'll open up a can of crazy on you.
ReplyDeleteSew, jenny and Ann, HYSTERICAL! ah ha ha ha ha~
ReplyDeleteFor the record... I did go to the zoo with Beth and Sew (I have pictures to prove it!). I managed to avoid the animals while I was there! And I said I would go see those ducks! I might have thrown a *tiny* fit and thrown the bread AT the ducks... But I would have gone. Hehe!
ReplyDeleteJenny loves penguins. If anyone wants her address to send her something to add to her collection, let me know!!
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love nature, this is a little freaky. God's sense of humor...
ReplyDeleteBeth lies!! Don't believe a word she says!
ReplyDeleteBoooo! Get back to the good stuff :)
ReplyDeleteVery cool looking! Sew, Jenny, Ann and Beth crack me up.
ReplyDeleteHa ha Beth! Your comment reminded me of the book, "Mr Popper's Penguin." How fun would that be!
ReplyDeleteOh Jenny I have pictures too!!!!
ReplyDeleteI matched it visually in The Golden Guide, Insects as a Polyphemus Moth. It is apparently named after the one-eyed giant Polyphemus in Greek mythology.
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting looking moth or butterfly.
ReplyDeleteCallmemama and Adrienne, that is so cool! We have a little version of that at the botanical gardens, here. We had butterflies landing on our heads! I think it was heavenly!
ReplyDeleteJenny, thank you for that crack research. I can see why you receive so many awards! Impressive!
I am very interested in more zoo details. Any photos available?
Sew and Kaitlin, I promise to go back to the controversy soon, ha! I can't stay away long.
Ann, I will find even more things to entice you!!
Actually I love this post, because with DD we are doing "M" week here and we are actually making Moth Broth to attract moths to observe them....oh yeah, Isabel is BIG into nature ;) (I have to admit, I'm a nature dork too!) LOL!
ReplyDeleteWhile I'd love to get an award (I do love them!)... this one should go to my sneaky former park ranger science guy hubby. He saw the post... got out his bug book (he has many)... signed in as me and solved the mystery! I didn't even know! Those bug books are the closest I get to insects... but the DH loves all things creepy, crawly, nature-like and such... Ha ha!! Yes, I often do wonder how we got together! Way to go DH!
ReplyDeleteI'm so bored, you are killing me.
ReplyDeleteL-Ask Jenny if her husband can tell between the different shark species. I have a picture you can post!!!!!!
LMBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No pictures of me at the zoo! I'm sure he has a shark book around here too! Ha!!
ReplyDeleteDoug gets a Bubble Smarty Pants Award.
ReplyDeleteI have pics of Jenny at the zoo!! By the way, she's all talk. I had the zoo pass less than a week before she was there!
ReplyDeleteshark head jenny!!! Does he know what plastic sharks are?
ReplyDeleteBeth - I suspected as much.
ReplyDeleteNow see. This wasn't THAT boring of a post afterall. We got to pick on Jenny and Doug saved the day with his bug knowledge.