May 25 2023 - Cecropias and Lunas

 

Yesterday was a day full of activities.  The most unusual one was heading to Niagara Falls to pick up a parcel for my brother.  It was 20 Cecropia cocoons and 80 Luna moth eggs.   Cecropia moths are big, beautiful and boldly coloured.  They are silk moths with reddish bodies and black to brown wings surrounded by bands of white, red, and tan. With a wingspan of five to seven inches (13 to 18 centimeters), the cecropia moth is the largest moth found in North America. Of course, it is a moth, so it is nocturnal.  Being native to our area, the larvae eat ash, birch, box elder, alder, elm, maple, whip cherry, plum, willow apple and lilac.  They are very big, so you can hear them eating.  While this is not my picture, it may be that one will be showing up soon.  And what about the Luna moth?  It is a large, silk moth,(Actuals luna)  like the Cecropia, and is a bright green, with red edges, and a white body.  It has huge feathery antennae and a white body. Its caterpillars are also green. Its typical wingspan is roughly 114 mm (4.5 in), but wingspans can exceed 178 mm (7.0 in), ranking the species as one of the larger moths in North America. Across Canada, it has one generation per year, with the winged adults appearing in late May or early June, whereas farther south it will have two or even three generations per year, the first appearance as early as March in southern parts of the United States.   If you want to attract Lunas to create a moth garden, grow these:  American beech, American chestnut, black cherry, black walnut, hickory, paper birch, red maple, smooth sumac, sweetgum, white oak and willow.   The Cecropias will be coming out of their cocoons in the next few days.  The Lunas will hatch out in 14 days.   And our picture comes from the Niagara Falls Butterfly Conservatory - look at the dozen butterflies on this side of the tree trunk. Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca