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Original poster

Do you like moths?

52 replies

Soubriquet · 28/06/2020 09:42

Cos I currently have one!

Found him when I was out walking and he was just laid on the path and didn’t seem happy about the wind.

So I currently have him in a butterfly enclosure with some sugar water to give him the day to recuperate and hopefully he can be released tonight

So meet Mothra. The elephant hawk moth

Do you like moths?
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viques · 28/06/2020 16:28

He's lovely, moths and butterflies are extraordinary creatures. A few years ago I had a hummingbird hawk moth in my garden for a few minutes. I was enthralled. Not seen one since, but feel privileged to have seen one close up.

(I am feeling guilty though, I have just bought another pack of entopest moth pads off eBay. Sorry pretty moths, not your fault your cousins are so destructive.)

Hedgehog44 · 28/06/2020 16:29

He is gorgeous.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 28/06/2020 17:28

Ahh see Nan I’m now more confident mine is boy.

Yours is very bright so is a girl, whereas mine is more green than pink which indicates a boy

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Magic2020 · 28/06/2020 18:14

Love them - I remember seeing one (not the UK) when I was a child and it was absolutely huge - I remember it being the size of a dinner plate, but it can't have been that big, surely?

It had two big eye spots on it's wings and was just resting on a log when I went for a walk. I was completely fascinated, as I was with lots of wildlife.

Not surprisingly I went on to study life sciences at uni.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 28/06/2020 18:33

Actually...it might have been that big.

Someone has shared the photo of this moth who will only live about 1-2 weeks because as a moth it doesn’t have a mouth and therefore lives off its caterpillar stores

link

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Gatekeeper · 28/06/2020 18:41

I absolutely LOVE moths (not clothes ones though)...I was watching a hummingbird moth in the garden last week and they are wonderful . They have such brilliant names as well..'Rosy Footman' ,'Burnished Brass' 'Silver Y'

When I was living in N London I had a lime tree in the garden. As I was passing underneath it one day a newly- emerged Lime Tree Hawkmoth landed on my shoulder and stayed there for a couple of hours until it's wings had uncrumpled before taking to the skies. A sublime moment...

Original poster
Soubriquet · 28/06/2020 20:15

It’s still quite windy here

Do I release Mothra tonight, or keep him overnight and see how it is tomorrow?

He has some sugar water on a butterfly feeder so he won’t go hungry

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amusedbush · 28/06/2020 20:22

I’m terrified of them. I’m not biased though - I’m scared of all insects! Especially flying ones, which includes butterflies. Daddy long legs are a sure fire way to send me into a screaming meltdown Blush

Heaviestdirtyestsoul · 28/06/2020 20:24

I loved moths until I was on the toilet and felt a tickle in the nether regions, wiped myself and brought a dead squished moth up on the toilet paper last week. I have gone off them somewhat now.

Heaviestdirtyestsoul · 28/06/2020 20:25

Although your moth is quite beautiful!

Original poster
Soubriquet · 28/06/2020 20:29

@Heaviestdirtyestsoul

I loved moths until I was on the toilet and felt a tickle in the nether regions, wiped myself and brought a dead squished moth up on the toilet paper last week. I have gone off them somewhat now.
GrinGrin
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amusedbush · 28/06/2020 20:57

@Heaviestdirtyestsoul

I loved moths until I was on the toilet and felt a tickle in the nether regions, wiped myself and brought a dead squished moth up on the toilet paper last week. I have gone off them somewhat now.
That is nightmare fuel! Shock
NanTheWiser · 28/06/2020 21:10

@Soubriquet, your link showed the Atlas moth, native to Asia, and possibly the largest of all the moths (I used to have one preserved under a frame years ago).

Chilledchablis · 28/06/2020 21:23

Beautiful! I think of them as nocturnal butterflies. Not so keen on the cashmere chomping variety though! Once had an infestation under a rarely moved huge cupboard - nightmare.

hatemyselfrightnow · 28/06/2020 23:36

I love them. Except the piddly little brown ones that eat my clothes despite me putting mothballs in my wardrobe. But have seen some lovely ones in my home lately too. I saw an Emerald the other evening (I googled), a beautiful jade green colour. Any moths that won't eat my clothes are welcome at my pad, anytime.

hatemyselfrightnow · 28/06/2020 23:38

@Heaviestdirtyestsoul

I loved moths until I was on the toilet and felt a tickle in the nether regions, wiped myself and brought a dead squished moth up on the toilet paper last week. I have gone off them somewhat now.
oh no! Shock

I had an ant crawl up my hooha once whilst on the toilet. Not nice. Disturbingly, it never came out again!

Lollypop4 · 28/06/2020 23:39

No, Ive a Mild phobia of moths and butterflies (Mud too😂)

GinWithASplashOfTonic · 28/06/2020 23:43

That's a beautiful moth

However I'd be peeing my pants if that was flying round my room

BertieBotts · 28/06/2020 23:44

No, sorry, I cannot like moths. I don't mind the little fluttery ones but the massive bodied ones freak me right out and I hate the way they go after lights meaning they sort of zoom at you in the dark, especially if you're innocently trying to use a phone or computer with a window open. Butterflies don't do that!

I also despise pantry moths ever since living in a country where they are endemic, it's a constant battle every spring, especially when you can't find the nest. (One year, it was in the TOASTER). Checking all of your food packets for webbing and little crawling things is a great way to put you off them, plus I've accidentally eaten one twice 🤢🤢

They aren't as bad as maybugs, wasps or hornets but they are probably fourth to all those things for me.

BertieBotts · 28/06/2020 23:46

My first negative encounter with a moth was when we'd just moved into our new house and had no lampshades, a moth flew into the kitchen while we were having lunch, stunned itself on the lightbulb and fell in my coleslaw. All the dust from its wings dissapated into the coleslaw and I was absolutely freaked out by it. I couldn't stand moths after that and I didn't eat coleslaw for years either! I was probably about ten.

felineflutter · 28/06/2020 23:51

I never understand people who like butterflies but hate moths confused

I can't explain it but moths are probably the only thing I have an aversion too. Their big fact hairy bodies and all that manic fluttering at the light and then suddenly deciding to drop on your head.

Or when they bang on panes of glass to get to the light.Shock

felineflutter · 28/06/2020 23:53

Oh yes maybugs would beat moths, in Top Trumps .

PickAChew · 28/06/2020 23:55

Found a rice moth in my dinner, once. Not nice.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 29/06/2020 07:36

Well, Mothra survived the night, which I honestly didn’t expect him to, and seems very active this morning. He’s constantly flicking his wings.

I would like to release him tonight and as long as the wind holds, I shall do it.

He’s even more beautiful now he’s more active

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Original poster
Soubriquet · 29/06/2020 07:46

Some facial views of him.

You can even see his proboscis.

Do you like moths?
Do you like moths?
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