Homage to Jack Cody friend, colleague and mentor–“The Audubon of Moths” who passed in 2016. My greatest moth encounter was with a beautiful specimen of a Polyphemus moth hovering below a streetlight in Houston, Texas, in 1983. Because they have become so uncommon in suburban neighborhoods, I mistook it for a bat besieging bewildered bugs. It landed on the light pole and I could clearly see that this was not a fussy and fuzzy flying mouse! I carefully cupped my hands around the moth. Like opening a treasure chest, I splayed my hands and was mesmerized by the beauty of the glimmering brown and gold. A moth unafraid and in no hurry delicately tiptoed around my open palm and on to my forearm and after a few moments took flight up into the dark summer sky.
4 brown, gray, and yellow Polyphemus silk moths with prominent eyespots on their hind wings are surrounded by green and yellow maple leaves and yellow “copter” maple seeds and are displayed on a white background in this North American Moth Forest Mandala. Polyphemus moths evade their predators with imposing eyespots on their hind wings. Fly over to phelpsmandala.com for over 1700 nature inspired images found in 34 collections.
I encourage you to wander with wonder in nature, always my best!