Fleeting Beauties!

Great news! My eldest son has finally seen the first of his giant Atlas Moths emerge. He bought some pupae from the AES, (Amateur Entomologist's Society www.amentsoc.org ), show last year and has been waiting not terribly patiently ever since. It was reminiscent of a sweet pick and mix stand with all the amazingly different pupae in their trays, labelled and with photographs of the adults. My husband said it is not dissimilar to the bulb stands you see in garden centres in the autumn. We were all excited to see this stunning and really huge moth. She is magnificent but nature is hard. She is simply an egg machine, with virtually no mouth parts she has to mate fast and in only a couple of days will be dead. We always find that a colossal shame. Moths fly upstairs in our house. It lessons their chances of getting eaten by a Barn Owl. Curious I know, but I will explain one day. Our bathroom curtains are a favourite egg laying place. Next to emerge, to even more audible delight, are the gorgeous African Moon Moths and beautifully marked Chinese Owl Moths. The Moon Moths are just breath taking with their wonderful swallow tails. In a few days they will all be dead too with their lovely wings all broken and battered. On the upside though I keep telling my long suffering husband there can not be many men who get to share their bathroom with such fleeting beauties!

A female Atlas Moth.

Amazing pupa.

Chinese Owl Moth.

Atlas Moth.

African Moon Moth.