Hemileuca Eglanterina, Western Sheepmoth

Day 288: This was my big thrill for the day! I'd set out on a bike ride somewhat later than usual this morning and found myself riding back to the car in the hot afternoon sun. I stopped for a breather at the high point of the trail, intending to take a photo of an interesting fence. As I approached the wire, a flutter and flash of color caught my eye. Deep in the grass, an enormous moth was vibrating its newly unfurled wings to dry them.

"Enormous?" you ask. Enormous! Fully two inches from wingtip to wingtip, and with great bristly antennae. As I tried to move the grass aside to get a better shot, it kept swinging around on the grass stems, presenting the ventral view of a furry pink and black body almost as big around as a pencil. It was extremely difficult to get a good dorsal presentation, but I finally managed.

When I got home, I began researching an identification. It turned out to be a Western Sheepmoth, and last Autumn, I had photographed the caterpillar of the same species only a few miles from this site. What a treat to have been able to document both phases of this beautiful creature's life cycle!