I should rename my blog "Critters We've Found in the Yard."

Last August we found a juicy green caterpillar. We put him in a bug catcher with some leaves and he made a cocoon shortly afterward. The cocoon sat there for 9 months--Travis and I were pretty sure the animal had died, but this weekend we found this large brown moth instead. It's a male and he has one purpose only-- to continue the species. (Not only does he not eat, he doesn't even have a mouth!) He's resting now, but tonight he's going out on the town to find his lady moth. My favorite part is his mythological name-- Polyphemus after the cyclops in Homer's Odyssey. (His wings have transparent eye spots as a defense mechanism.) We really do more that collect animals. It just happens to be that time of year.

http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/polyphemus_moth.htm