Goddess of the Moon?

We see many species of birds at the farm, and quite a few insects, too.  Some of these are of the unwelcome variety…gnats and mosquitoes…but there are butterflies as well.  They flutter from flower to flower so quickly that it’s hard to get a nice image of one.  There are also moths that flutter against the windows, trying to get to the light.  A couple of week ago, my nieces and their kids spotted one we rarely see, a Luna moth, Actias luna. We think this one is a male.

Found in North America from east of the Great Plains to the coast, and from Florida to Maine.  They are from a group commonly known as giant silk moths.   The Luna moths are recognized by their lime-green wings with “eye” spots, and a white, hairy, body.  They are not rare, but are rarely seen because of their short adult life span (only 7-10 days) and nocturnal flying habits.  They are hard to spot in the wild because they so closely resemble green leaves.  Also, their forewings are dark, like twigs, and the forewing spots look like emerging buds.  

They also have “acoustic camouflage.”  The long, twisting tails on their hindwing help them to avoid capture by echolocating bats.  Research at the University of Washington and Johns Hopkins University found that the tails not only shift the location of the echos, but also scatter the reflected sounds, making it hard for the bats to make a meal of them.  

In northern areas, Luna moths have only one generation per year.  Farther south, there may be two or three generations.  The adult moths have only vestigial mouthparts and no digestive system.  They therefore do not eat in their adult form and instead rely on energy stored up as caterpillars.  

Their sole purpose in life is to reproduce.  They usually mate after midnight, and the females begin laying eggs by the following night and continue for several more nights.  The eggs hatch after another week and the cycle begins again. 

This moth was found during the day, and hardly moved at all, so we assumed it was near the end of its life cycle.  I took the opportunity to get several photos, then took it outside at dusk.  It surprised me by flying away when I tried to place it on a tree, so maybe it still had things to do, places to go and other Luna moths to see.  At any rate, we were so fortunate to see it during its short life.  

Spring Has Sprung...Again

Each year, just after we welcome the golden-cheeked warblers, we begin to anticipate the next noteworthy spring event here at the farm, the appearance of the bluebonnets and other wildflowers.  This year, we were unsure how the spring flowers would be affected by the severe freeze we experienced in February.  However, it seems that Mother Nature took it all in stride, and our wildflowers have appeared right on schedule.

As soon as the blooms began to reach their peak, I took the dogs out for our annual photo session.  Here are a few of the images I captured.  

It's hard enough to find the perfect spot, with flowers and no fire ants or rattlesnakes...then one has to have the cooperation of the Bagley Pack.  Rue and Cody are usually reliable subjects, but Kota is quickly bored.  She doesn't hesitate to show it.

After exhausting everyone's patience, we were able to get some individual shots. 

 

Wet Dog in Bluebonnets

Regal Dog in Bluebonnets

Happy Dog in Bluebonnets

This year has been especially dry, but the bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush and other spring flowers are hardy, resourceful plants.  They appear every year.  

This year, the blooms are vibrant, but perhaps not as numerous as in some years.  That’s a good-thing, bad-thing. Abundant wildflowers indicate poor range conditions, meaning a lack of the native grasses that nourish our cattle.  When range management has been good and the grass covers the land, we see fewer blooms.  This is such a year.  The cattle are fat and happy, and spend much of their time loafing in the shade.  

We are blessed and can’t complain.  We have enough of everything good, including grass and flowers.