Attacus Atlas moth

[kadee79]

Ya'al need to look at this thing, it's HUGE!!!


breedingbutterflies.com/attacus-atlas/

[Tennesseer]

Good looking moth.

[haapai]

Neat! 

I grew up in hot and humid places where big bugs were pretty common.  I was too young to keep track of when the bugs showed up, or what they were, but I sure miss them. 

Humongous luna moths and peaceable waves of edible flying ants are some of the best stories that I have from my childhood.  I almost want to propagate ginormous things with wing just to show folks who have never seen anything like it that they are nothing to be feared. 

And on a slightly related topic, may I politely inquire what the hell ever happened to mayflies.  I remember these things covering everything and turning well-lit waterfront areas into something that horrified my first-world cousins.  Why haven't I seen a decent bunch of mayflies in two decades?  Am I living in the wrong place or are these awe-inspiring clunks of shockingly slippery-when-pureed protein and fat, on the decline?

[kadee79]

Aug 7, 2018 21:16:38 GMT -5 haapai said:

Neat! 

I grew up in hot and humid places where big bugs were pretty common.  I was too young to keep track of when the bugs showed up, or what they were, but I sure miss them. 

Humongous luna moths and peaceable waves of edible flying ants are some of the best stories that I have from my childhood.  I almost want to propagate ginormous things with wing just to show folks who have never seen anything like it that they are nothing to be feared. 

And on a slightly related topic, may I politely inquire what the hell ever happened to mayflies.  I remember these things covering everything and turning well-lit waterfront areas into something that horrified my first-world cousins.  Why haven't I seen a decent bunch of mayflies in two decades?  Am I living in the wrong place or are these awe-inspiring clunks of shockingly slippery-when-pureed protein and fat, on the decline?

I usually see a few each year, but haven't seen any this year.
Their decline is likely due to runoff of chemicals from over use on residential lawns and farm fields.  Since they start in water, that's where most of these chemicals end up...in our creeks, rivers & finally oceans.

[weltschmerz]

Aug 8, 2018 0:43:12 GMT -5 kadee79 said:

Aug 7, 2018 21:16:38 GMT -5 haapai said:

Neat! 

I grew up in hot and humid places where big bugs were pretty common.  I was too young to keep track of when the bugs showed up, or what they were, but I sure miss them. 

Humongous luna moths and peaceable waves of edible flying ants are some of the best stories that I have from my childhood.  I almost want to propagate ginormous things with wing just to show folks who have never seen anything like it that they are nothing to be feared. 

And on a slightly related topic, may I politely inquire what the hell ever happened to mayflies.  I remember these things covering everything and turning well-lit waterfront areas into something that horrified my first-world cousins.  Why haven't I seen a decent bunch of mayflies in two decades?  Am I living in the wrong place or are these awe-inspiring clunks of shockingly slippery-when-pureed protein and fat, on the decline?

I usually see a few each year, but haven't seen any this year.
Their decline is likely due to runoff of chemicals from over use on residential lawns and farm fields.  Since they start in water, that's where most of these chemicals end up...in our creeks, rivers & finally oceans.

Neither have I. Nary a one.
They used to be everywhere. Haven't seen any fireflies this year, either.
This brings up a question. What happens to the things that eat them now?
If prey disappears, then so do predators.

[weltschmerz]

Aug 7, 2018 20:53:46 GMT -5 kadee79 said:

Ya'al need to look at this thing, it's HUGE!!!


breedingbutterflies.com/attacus-atlas/

Beautiful!

[mmhmm]

Aug 7, 2018 20:53:46 GMT -5 kadee79 said:

Ya'al need to look at this thing, it's HUGE!!!


breedingbutterflies.com/attacus-atlas/

DD and I saw one of those hanging out on a big leaf in our backyard in Jakarta one morning. We just stood there staring at it for a long time.  They really are beautiful and they really are HUGE!

[kadee79]

Aug 8, 2018 4:01:58 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

Aug 7, 2018 20:53:46 GMT -5 kadee79 said:

Ya'al need to look at this thing, it's HUGE!!!


breedingbutterflies.com/attacus-atlas/

DD and I saw one of those hanging out on a big leaf in our backyard in Jakarta one morning. We just stood there staring at it for a long time.  They really are beautiful and they really are HUGE!

Oh, lucky you!  Did you take a picture?

Welts, the missing fireflies/lightening bugs have been blamed on all the spraying of road sides that has been done over the years....first for misquotes and then spraying for weeds that reduced their habitat.  That's what I read at various places any way.  We see maybe 10 all summer if we are lucky & sit out after dark enough.

[weltschmerz]

Well, with more and more insects disappearing, more and more birds and bats will disappear.
We're idiots.

[mmhmm]

Aug 8, 2018 22:18:29 GMT -5 kadee79 said:

Aug 8, 2018 4:01:58 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

DD and I saw one of those hanging out on a big leaf in our backyard in Jakarta one morning. We just stood there staring at it for a long time.  They really are beautiful and they really are HUGE!

Oh, lucky you!  Did you take a picture?

Welts, the missing fireflies/lightening bugs have been blamed on all the spraying of road sides that has been done over the years....first for misquotes and then spraying for weeds that reduced their habitat.  That's what I read at various places any way.  We see maybe 10 all summer if we are lucky & sit out after dark enough.

Yes, we took several. I'm sure my daughter still has them somewhere. I'll have to ask her.

[kadee79]

Aug 8, 2018 22:24:05 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Well, with more and more insects disappearing, more and more birds and bats will disappear.
We're idiots.

We are killing ourselves s l o w l y! 

[moon/Laura]

Gorgeous moth!