The last week or so, we encountered thousands of these guys along the riverwalk, dead and dying, the wild ducks having a grand time "cleaning up". The ducks are another story all by itself; they roam aboiut the river (Colorado), many remaining year-round, and have become accustomed to folks strolling by just a few feet away. The Cecropias, however, are only around for a short time each year, and they are huge and beautiful: Night before last, when I went out to my shop to close up for the night, a Cecropia was trapped inside, "worrying" a fluorescent light. I could do little to capture it, so darkened the place for the night. Yesterday morning, there I found it clinging to the screen inside of the open window. I placed a yogurt container over it, then slipped a cardboard over the opening, took it in the house to show my wife, who was getting ready for our daily jaunt, she suggested I place it on the Orange tree. Upon my releasing it by the tree, Mr. Moth had a much different idea: it instantly flew straight upwards and away, quickly out of sight! Frank
Beautiful! I had one like the bottom picture on the ceiling under my carport once. I estimate that it's wingspan was about 5 inches. I'm not sure it was the same kind but it looks like it. It was gone the next morning. I guess it just stopped to rest a while.