Polyphemus. No, not the Cyclops the Moth

I went to get the mail today and ran into Polyphemus. No, not the legendary cyclops that trapped Odysseus and his men. Polyphemus the moth. This one was about 5 inches across, big enough to cover most of your hand. It reminded me of nights on Martha’s Vineyard. Occasionally we would return to the house from Dogfish Bar around 3AM. On damp, foggy nights, the wall under the night light would be covered with moths of all sizes and colors, including giant luna moths. It looked like a fleet of alien spaceships.

Polyphemus at the post box

Polyphemus at the post box

This photograph doesn’t do polyphemus justice. See the small “eye” on each wing? Well the under wings each have a huge colorful “eye”. Unfortunately they’re hidden at the moment. These “eyes” are how the moth got its reference to the cyclop. But to show you the other eyes, I would have had to disturb this moth. Better to let it live, for tonight it will mate.

 

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