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Polyphemus Moth makes her debut!
Here she is! Ms. Polyphemus, a member of the Giant Silkworm Moth family. She is just under 20 minutes out of her cocoon. She's been in the cocoon since October 18 last fall. I first wrote about her in my blog back in October.
I took the cocoon with me last week on my trip to Alabama because at that time I had no idea when it would come out. I figured if it did emerge while in Alabama, I could let it go as these kinds of moths are native to the East Coast all the way up to Canada, and even as far west as Texas. I even purchased a butterfly pavillion while in Alabama to keep the moth in until I could release it.... seems like that was the best move I could have made.
I was expecting a Luna Moth. Luna caterpillars look much like Polyphemus caterpillars. I really wasn't sure which one I had based on the pictures I had in books and the ones I found on the internet. I knew I would have to wait for the day it emerged.
I had to display great amounts of patience keeping this critter. There were times when I completely forgot about it, during the cold winter months. I didn't worry about it until spring warmed up our region, about three weeks ago. That's when I became concerned whenever I did not hear any movement inside the cocoon. As long as I felt it wriggling and scratching inside, I knew it was alive.
However, these past three days, I thought it might have just died because for some reason it could not get out. I even thought about cutting it out, but then I remembered the story about the woman who tried to help the butterfuly out of its cocoon and the butterfly did not build up the strength it needed to spread its wings because it didn't have to work to get out. I don't know how true that story is, but the message wasn't lost on me. I did not touch the cocoon.
About 4:00 today, in my classroom, I remember hearing crunching sounds coming from the cocoon... never had I heard that before. So I took the cocoon home with me, and set it in the dining room. An hour later, I peeked in on it, and there was the moth already climbing up the stick I had glued the cocoon to. I ran for my camera and carried it outside while there was still enough outdoor light.
I took quite a few photos, many of them blurry because I did not have the camera on the correct setting for closeups. I was so excited that I had snapped several pictures without changing the settings. Finally, I realized my error and corrected it.
According to information I have found, the moths mate the same night they emerge from the cocoon. They do not eat as adults. The live for one week. The females live for two reasons: to mate and to lay their eggs. The males have only one reason to live. You have one guess.
I know she is a female because of the size of her antennae... male antennae are wider than females. Hers seemed quite narrow by comparison to pictures I've seen of the males. So, tomorrow, I will take her to school, show the kids, tell them some things about the moths, and then we'll let her go so she can get her life cycle going again.
Possibly I will get some photos of her release in the playground area where she was found as a fat green caterpillar just six months ago.
One more surprising fact... I read at one of the internet sites that Polyphemus moths often don't emerge from their cocoons until May!! I hope her early arrival does not mean she gets there before the rest of her species! Imagine going to the party and finding out that you had the wrong date, and no one was there but you.Now imagine that your entire future of generations relies on you arriving on time. If you are late, you leave no offspring. If you arrive too early, you leave no offspring. You have a one week window of life to do what you must do, and if you don't find your mate, you will leave no offspring.
That's what our Polyphemus moth is up against this week, and why I must let her go as soon as possible.
I took all the photos above with my own camera except for Pictures #1, and 16-19, which came from the following website:
http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/polyphemus_moth.htm
bgilmore725 at 9:47:00 PM EDT Blog about this entry |
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Wow! After all this time of patiently waiting... and now it's time to let her go... and she is only allowed 1 weeks to get her groove on! That's kind of unfair, when you think about it in human terms, but then, for her.. it's her lifes mission.
I have found it so interesting keeping up with the cocoon throughout it's entire cycle.
Thanks for making it so interesting, Bea.. and for sharing the pictures of her as she progressed.
Kind of sad to see her go..
Hugs,
Jackie
http://journals.aol.com/siennastarr/Waitingtoexhale/ -
WOW! She's so beautiful!! Wouldn't it be neat if you could keep her, and she would be safe and you could watch her grow. Great pics and entry! Michelle
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She's beautiful! I'm so glad you were there to capture her arrival. So cool! ~ Lori
http://journals.aol.com/fitzzer/PurpleSnapdragons/ -
What a beauty! And thanks for the educational entry too...
Nancy : )
http://journals.aol.com/nhd106/Nancyluvspix/entries/1187
7/10/06 1:49 PM
God Bless, Liz
http://journals.aol.com/bethj