Moth, Emerging
☆ August 13, 2010
Last Friday was a profound day for me. Intense, and intensely profound. And each day since has been either one or the other. The lack of details is not my being coy, but because I simply cannot share everything right now for various reasons. But I can share this moth.
Last Friday evening, immediately following this bout of profundity, a crazzzzzzy windstorm blew up. One moment, all was calm; the next, the sky was solid with whipped-up dust and trees were bending sideways. And then, perhaps half an hour later, the wind was gone, and all was calm again.
I went outside, because I love to be outside just after a windstorm. And I spotted this moth, clinging to a weed near the ground, next to one of my garden patches. I knelt beside it, my head low to the ground, studying this incredible moth. Its body was huge and fat, black and gray and yellow and white, about the size of my thumb but slightly longer. Its face was awesome; it looked carnivorous, strong, and so incredibly graceful, its wings hanging behind it like a cape.
The moth swayed softly in the remaining breeze, clutching the weed, waiting for something. Unhurried, unworried, secure in itself and waiting. Then I saw the hole. And now I must back up in this story-telling for a moment: Roughly seven weeks ago, I was weeding my garden and saw an enormous caterpillar amongst my watermelons. It was a glossy bright green, larger than my thumb. Huge! I took two twigs as chopsticks and gently moved the massive ‘pillar to the dirt outside my garden plot, near a clump of weeds. And then watched in awe as the caterpillar disappeared into the earth. It started digging a hole with its nose and down into the dirt it went, disappearing completely. The next day, I had forgotten about it.
Now, I noticed the hole in the ground near this magnificent moth. A hole exactly the size of its body. A hole where the strange caterpillar had disappeared. I do believe it made its cocoon in the earth ~ or that perhaps the earth itself was the cocoon ~ and that this moth had just emerged. And was waiting to fly.
Darkness crept in and I walked Daisy & Co to the corrals, and the next morning, the moth was gone. Days passed; I wondered about the moth, wondered where it went. I spent nights sitting outside, watching the silhouette of a bat swooping between my home and the stars every night.
This morning, I saw the moth again, clutching a large rock I have on my deck. Resting again. And this makes me wonder, perhaps it is not a bat visiting me every night, but is, in fact, this moth in flight.
UPDATE: The moth is Manduca quinquemaculatus, aka Five Spotted Hawk Moth. More info HERE. I noticed this morning that the “eyes” on its shoulder are actually three-dimensional and raised! Thanks, Keitha, for the link!
UPDATE II: The moth is still sleeping (?) on the side of the big rock on my deck, but has been moving as the sun crosses the sky, to stay on the shady side of the rock!
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50 Responses to “Moth, Emerging”
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August 13th, 2010 @ 8:25 am
Extraordinary story Shreve. And an extraordinary caterpillar/moth. Thanks for telling the story.
August 13th, 2010 @ 8:28 am
What a beautiful creature….and thought!
August 13th, 2010 @ 8:28 am
what a lovely story…thank you as always for sharin’ your, Awesome photos, your heartfelt stories and your incredible outlook on life with us…have a wonderful weekend!!! :)
August 13th, 2010 @ 8:32 am
How fortunate you are to be one of the people who is not oblivious to the wonders around us, if we only stop to see. Thank you for sharing!
August 13th, 2010 @ 8:32 am
What an awesome looking moth! Wonder what kind it is?
August 13th, 2010 @ 8:37 am
The way you see things and share them with all of us is almost like a meditation and helps me to appreciate the beauty around us all. You write like you truly appreciate the world around you.
I had a similar experience with a Monarch butterfly one summer. It’s cocoon hung from my mailbox. It was a vibrant mint green with a gold band around it. Once the butterfly emerged, I studied it’s wings while they dried, then wondered if there was a way to tell if it were male or female. Sounded strange in a way, but actually discovered it was a male by round marks on his wings. I watched till he flew away. Was one of the most beautiful things I had seen.
Thanks Shreve :)
August 13th, 2010 @ 8:42 am
How cool is that! I love it when things work out that way, a little bit of kindness can bring profound moments. Thanks for sharing that with us. I am such a sap I always have high hopes for the moths I catch in the house and release back outside instead of flushing down the toilet – my husband just rolls his eyes at me…
August 13th, 2010 @ 8:43 am
Totally agree with Leisa – so forunate that you have the opportunity to see the beauty of this world and thankful that you have the ability and talent to share it with the rest of us.
August 13th, 2010 @ 8:44 am
Shreve I so love the way you weave a tale and even when involves only the minute details of a moth, it conveys the wonder you experience in those things commonplace to most. Thank you for sharing this with us.
August 13th, 2010 @ 8:50 am
Hello! That is fascinating. I did some internet sleuthing and I think it might be a tobacco hornworm moth? It is amazing…I’ve never seen anything like it! I love your view of the world. Looking forward to reading the outcome of your intense profundity when you choose to share it.
August 13th, 2010 @ 9:13 am
Enjoyed your story about the moth. Thanks for sharing– and don’t feel you need to share EVERYTHING in your life. We’re lucky enough that you share Charlie and the Farmily, as it is.
August 13th, 2010 @ 9:26 am
Gorgeous!
Stephanie you are not a sap. It’s logical to let it out. It only takes a minute and wastes no water.
Shreve, I was so curious, I started researching. I think it may be a five-spotted Hawkmoth. Have a look and see what you think.
Here is a site with the caterpillar pic too.
http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/mquinqui.htm
The 3rd & 5th pics look most like yours.
August 13th, 2010 @ 9:26 am
It looks like a five-spotted hawk moth.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/82979/bgimage
August 13th, 2010 @ 9:40 am
they come from horned worms. we buy the worms for our various bearded dragons and for my collection of tarantulas. (slimy yet satisfying!) we have had a couple pupate and turn into those moths. we let them go outside. we were thinking next time to get a heap and maybe see if we can’t get them to do their thing so we would spend less BUYING them… but man, those Barry White albums (NOT cd’s.. its about quality) are EXPENSIVE!!!
August 13th, 2010 @ 10:11 am
See http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05517.html
Adult stages of hornworms are known as sphinx, hawk, or “hummingbird” moths.
Full-grown hornworm larvae migrate from their host plant and dig in loose soil where they pupate. Pupation occurs a few inches below the soil surface in a small chamber of packed earth. Pupae are typically brown, two inches or more in length, and many have a pronounced “snout” off the head end.
These moths have a superficial resemblance to hummingbirds in flight while they similarly feed from deep-lobed flowers. The whitelined sphinx is the species most commonly observed in this habit and is usually most active during late afternoon and dusk. The great ash and twinspot sphinx are two other species commonly observed in “hummingbird moth” behavior. Adults of most hornworms (including the “tomato” hornworms) fly after dusk and are rarely observed except occasionally at porch lights.
August 13th, 2010 @ 10:26 am
Thank you so much for the story and the pictures! Once again, your websites serve as a fun and educational time for our family. The kids LOVE this entry and we were reminded of our “pet” that we raised in 2008. http://cabin77.livejournal.com/154825.html
Thank you so much (again) for sharing your life and your farmily with us!
August 13th, 2010 @ 10:30 am
Magic thank you for your words and your pictures. Hugs
August 13th, 2010 @ 10:51 am
Moths, along with Butterflies, Frogs, and Bats are the “Canaries” of our planet. When they are in trouble it should send a loud and clear single for a call to action as something is wrong with our planet and nedds fixing. Are we watching and listening?
August 13th, 2010 @ 10:55 am
whoa! totally cool! great story & photos! and i hope whatever is happening that’s profound is good intense profound!
August 13th, 2010 @ 10:59 am
I think this may be a mystery moth like creature that came into a hotel lobby here on the beach one early night..we all thought it was a small bird and everyone was tryng to catch it…finally it landed on the window sill and I threw a large cloth napkin on it and caught it and took it outside..as I released it in my hands I looked and sure enough it was nto a bird..but resembled a butterfly with a fatter body..never knew what it was and no one in the lobby believed me..when I told them what I saw…never saw another one here in Cambria since I have been here for 9 years!!!!
August 13th, 2010 @ 11:13 am
That is an amazing story that actually made me tear up..why?? I have no idea..I guess just the awesomeness of life outside the big city!! Thanks for sharing Shreve!!
August 13th, 2010 @ 12:11 pm
Dani i think that is so sweet of you!
Shreve your moth’s caterpillar-self reminds me of the one in Alice and Wonderland and also the one in the ads for the Money Tree:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU7RaC9jjRk&feature=related
sorry! i couldn’t resist!
I have found pure white moths all furry and beautiful with diamond eyes…i wonder what their caterpillar selves look like?
August 13th, 2010 @ 1:06 pm
Ah, but you would not so love the hornworm if you had a coveted tomato garden you found it in. The moths are stunning; the hornworms become enormous and magnificent. But they not only can but will completely defoliate tomatoes and munch the fruit in such a short time period it would take your breath away. You would be stunned at how quickly they can strip a plant (I know I am!). I really love seeing the pictures of the moth, and it makes me almost (but only almost) feel guilty for sending the freakin’ giant hornworm that was munching on one of my tomatoes last night on to the next realm. Sorry!?!
August 13th, 2010 @ 1:34 pm
Thanks Taffy!!! =}
August 13th, 2010 @ 3:20 pm
You sure that’s not Mothra? http://tiny.cc/9pvl8
August 13th, 2010 @ 3:57 pm
Shreve, due to your wonderful hospitality the moth decided to stay with you! Awesome! :)
August 13th, 2010 @ 4:24 pm
I wonder if there is a way to tell if its male or female? I’d be interested in hearing whether or not he/she finds a mate. Let us know if you see another!
August 13th, 2010 @ 5:57 pm
Gorgeous animal; thanks for sharing the story and images.
August 13th, 2010 @ 7:15 pm
Have you thought that the trials and tribulations you are living with this summer could be mirroring the caterpillar/moth transformation? Just remember transformations area part of life and you are stronger than you think. You have prooved that over and over again. Kiss All the farmily for us and take care.
August 13th, 2010 @ 10:01 pm
I stumbled upon one of these enormous caterpillars on Wachusett Mountain in Massachusetts, and until this moment, I hadn’t seen another one. Magnificent find!
August 13th, 2010 @ 10:25 pm
That is quite the beautiful moth.
Moths aren’t really that destructive. Even their caterpillars don’t do our crops much harm. It really doesn’t hurt us to leave them alone.
Aren’t you glad you relocated him? And you’ve reaped the benefits of your mercy by enjoying his adult company. Or hers.
I had an orb weaver spider last year that I felt the same way about. She laid an egg sack on my trash dolly and I left it where it was for months until the babies hatched. I called her Charlotte. (Aren’t all spiders named Charlotte? All squirrels are named Petey. Even the girls. My Mother told me.)
I wonder what all Moths are named?
August 14th, 2010 @ 4:42 am
I didn’t know moths could grow to be so large. It’s the size of a hummingbird, almost.
August 14th, 2010 @ 4:45 am
Fascinating! My chameleons enjoy eating hornworms, but I never thought to look into what they became, or realized they borrowed into the earth to pupate.
August 14th, 2010 @ 4:59 am
Incredible! People so often look UP to the stars…to the spaces…to the infinities for wonder…when…it’s right HERE…all around us!
August 14th, 2010 @ 2:21 pm
Shreve,
Thank you for being so observant and for sharing in word and picture. You are a master and I am pleased to be a student in your nature/”critter” classroom. I too love to observe nature and the animals that inhabit my world. I try to understand them and try to see the world through their eyes (as much as a human can). My world is wooded and thanks to lots and lots of rain this summer increasingly inhabited (or being taken over) by mushrooms, fungus and other amazing things, including lavender colored fungi on dead wood. We also have lots of squirrels, deer, birds, toads, snakes (though I haven’t seen many snakes this year), chipmunks, raccoons, mice and others. The world of nature is amazing. So much to learn and appreciate. Thanks again for sharing yours.
August 15th, 2010 @ 1:26 am
Beautiful photos and story! Last spring we found a mysterious alien-pod-like pupa in our garden when digging the soil. It wiggled in our hands when disturbed. I put it in a cup with some soil and took it to my classroom to show my students. Fortunately I put it in a larger plastic container, because two days later I came into my classroom to find the biggest, most gorgeous moth sitting on the cup, waiting to be set free. It really took my breath away, how beefy and beautiful and totally unexpected it was, almost like a gift. It was the same kind of moth you found, all the way out here in Hawaii. I know the caterpillars are supposed to be pests, but if I have to give up a tomato plant or two in order to have these gorgeous and mysterious creatures in the world, I am more than comfortable with that arrangement. :)
August 15th, 2010 @ 12:36 pm
Wonderful photos, as always, and a really enjoyed your telling of the story.
When I see those moths in our yard, they always remind me of furry hummingbirds. They hover over the flowers the same way, dipping their long nectar “straws” into the flower hearts.
And yes, Hawk Moths, though I think of them as Hummingbird Moths, are the adult verision of those huge, green, horned tomato worms. Maybe your moth is hanging around, thinking about laying her eggs before winter. Or perhaps she’s already done so and is now resting.
August 15th, 2010 @ 9:31 pm
How funny it is that I ran into one of those today. I saw it on some grass and thought it was a dragonfly until I went in for a closer look. It crawled on my hand and hung out with me for a while and didn’t seem to want to go back! haha. Nice to have seen your blog to know what kind it was.
August 16th, 2010 @ 4:42 am
@3dogrescue – that is only if they are tomato hornworms. Other types of hornworms don’t really do much damage at all. So, fear not, Shreve!
August 17th, 2010 @ 7:55 pm
To 3dogrescue- I used to queasily send my hornworms to another “realm” as our tomato growing season is painfully short, but now no longer have to do the deed myself! Once while scanning the web for garden tips, someone commented that they had trained their dog to HUNT them! Ha! My older dog is as grossed out at the thought of squishing their beautifully fat green bodies as I am, but my younger cattle dog loves them. She now happily trots out to the garden, searching for hornworm snacks! And my, haven’t we had a bounty this year…Greedy beasts…12 hornworms= happy dog!
August 22nd, 2010 @ 3:11 pm
We call them Sphinx moths, and they look a lot like a hummingbird when they fly and feed on the flowers. I know it’s a little late in the season to get flowers, but if you want to see more of them next year, they really like to eat from Nicotina flowers.
August 24th, 2010 @ 12:24 pm
Harmanica – can I borrow your pooch? Mine just get moles (a virtue, mind you, but moles don’t strip my ‘maters). Happily, only found one tomato hornworm this year. In the meantime, earlier this spring we had stunning relatives by way of hummingbird moths enjoying our flox – and whose caterpillar counterparts are not of concern to my tomatoes, so may they thrive.
August 29th, 2010 @ 6:09 pm
Hi Shreve and everyone,
My first time on the blog. Just finish your fantastic book, The Daily Coyote. Your photos are pure raw beauty! That Charlie is one handsome coyote.(You’re goodlooking,too, Eli)
As an “animal lover” from a very young age, your book was a natural to me. I lived a short time in way West Texas near the border, so had a couple of experiences with coyotoes and other desert animals.
I have those same moths in my yard. I planted the huge white morning glory variety called Moonbeam to attract them. It is amazing to watch the bloom unfurl each night and then the moths dive into them. Have you ever seen their tongue ? It would make Gene Simmons envious!
Not trying to be gross here… just an observation. Sure didn’t know they came from hornworms…. the same ones that eat my tomato plants ???
Anyway, nice to find an animal friendly blog.
Thanks, Chris
August 30th, 2010 @ 3:08 pm
Chris, as someone above noted, only the tomato hornworm is the guilty party for demolishing tomato plants & their fruits…the other hornwormss are all related, but do minimal damage to plants. Moonbeam morning glories? I need some!
August 8th, 2012 @ 10:30 am
I’m so glad this site came up when I was googling Hummingbird Moths. We noticed this huge strange bug flying around our flowers and then it would fly underneath a ramp we bought for our gutter spout. It does not lay flat. We lifted up the ramp and saw a HUGE hole and a trail of dirt moved to the sides leading from the hole to where the ramp ends. It scared us because it was so big and I’ve never seen anything like it. After googling this looks just like it. The wings just look a little clearer. My mom and I had a good laugh when we realized that the bird that we saw drinking from the hummingbird feeder was actually probably this moth. It sure seems to love our purple petunias our neighbors orange flowers that grow like ivy (can’t remember the name). Thanks for your story!
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