House guest

Someone came by to drop something off yesterday morning, and when I opened the door she said, "Move slowly--you have a visitor." Then I saw what she was staring at.

To get an idea of this thing's size, check out the nail sticking out of the post below it. Yeah, this sucker's big.

She happened to be an outdoor enthusiast and told me right off, "That's a cecropia moth." I had no idea moths got that big--I thought that size was reserved for butterflies. She pointed out that it was fuzzy, and that moths are fuzzy while butterflies are smooth. The things you learn from random Freecyclers!

There was another one as well, though I didn't get a picture of it, clinging to the rock wall of our porch pillar. I don't know if they were born here or just passing through; one website I found while looking them up said they have one flight from March-July, so it might be they were just resting along the way. Smart little things, traveling with a buddy.

The girls were, as you can imagine, awestruck. PJ repeatedly stuck her finger out to try to get it to climb on--that's her new thing with bugs these days, especially ladybugs. And, apparently, moths larger than her hand.

It was still hanging out on the porch the last time I looked, though it had relocated to a less conspicuous space. It's made me even more eager to go to the Butterfly Pavilion up in Broomfield; my friend Christina lives just minutes from there, so we really need to take the girls up for a playdate there. PJ will be in heaven!