[bcbirdclub] Dicksissels and Moth
- From: "Roger Mayhorn" <rogermayhorn@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bcbirdclub@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2016 18:44:13 -0400
Congratulations to Veronica Ratliff for finding and photographing the
Dicksissels at Southern Gap. That is a rare species for our area. After
Daryl Owens said he found three there yesterday evening, Lynda and I decided
to go see them this morning. We found them just where Daryl had seen them.
One male kept singing, but would not come close enough for good photos. I
hope to go back and try again.
We then went to Poplar Gap Park and while there we found this beautiful
Polyphemus Moth on the side of a building. This is the second one I have
found in two days. This moth (2 photos) is large, about 6 inches wide. It
spends a good deal of its life as a caterpillar feeding on Black Walnut
trees, Cherry, Oak, Birch, etc. Once it emerges from its cocoon it lives
only about 7 days, enough time to mate and lay eggs. It doesn't eat during
that time. The large eye spots give the impression that this moth is some
larger animal. In this way it frightens away would be predators. It is from
these eyes that the moth gets its name. It is named for Polyphemus of Greek
mythology, the son of Poseidon who was a giant Cyclops with one eye in the
middle of his forehead. It was Polyphemus that Odysseus and his men
encountered on their way home to Troy by ship in Homer's Greek epic poem,
The Odyssey.
Roger Mayhorn
Compton Mt
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