PHOTO PROVIDED Shown is a promethean moth

Recently a friend sent me a photo to identify whether it is of a moth or butterfly. After searching through my “Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders,” I found that the photo was that of a Polyphemus moth. The polyphemus moth is a rather large moth, with a wingspan of 5 1/2 inches.

The buff-colored wings have a transparent spot near the middle of each wing. The spots on the hind wings appear as the eyes of a large peacock. It is these conspicuous eyespots on the hind wings from which the moth received the name of polyphemus, after the one-eyed giant of Greek myths. The Polyphemus ranges across the United States.

Moths and butterflies belong to the order Lepidoptera, which comes from two words: lepis, meaning scale and petron, meaning wing. Both moths and butterflies have two pairs of scaled wings.

Many people are only aware of the notorious moths that ruin clothing, rugs, blankets, etc.; however, there are 10,000 species of moths that are indigenous to the United States. Many moths are often mistaken for butterflies, and others are overlooked due to their nocturnal habits.

Moths do resemble butterflies. They have four wings and come in many colors and patterns caused by overlapping scales. Butterflies along with many moths have a tubular sucking organ called a proboscis; however, there are many differences between the two. Moths are usually hairier, heavier, and have feathered antennas that never have knob-tipped ends. Perhaps the easiest way of telling the two apart is by watching them when they land. A butterfly will hold its wings vertically above its back when resting, while a moth will either spread its wings flat or hold them folded against its body when at rest.

Another way to tell the difference is by the time of day. Generally, moths are more active at night, while butterflies are more active during the day. At night, the polyphemus moth is attracted to artificial light.

A moth passes through four stages of complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The female starts this cycle by releasing an enticing scent, which can be detected by some males from over two miles away. Once bred the female lays her fertilized eggs either on plants or the ground. A female moth usually lays her eggs in masses and then covers them with scales.

Within a few days, the larva usually hatches, and the caterpillars begin feeding on the leaves of alder, basswood, birch, elm, hickory, maple, poplar, and sycamore trees. Some caterpillars are small, while others are large, up to seven inches long. The caterpillar of the polyphemus moth is plump, a bright green, with yellow bands and red and silver tubercles.

This caterpillar spins a tough egg-shaped cocoon, which remains attached to branches. Usually, late in the fall, the cocoon detaches and falls with the leaves. In the south, there are two generations a year but here in the north, we only have one.

In the pupal stage, wings begin to form; the chewing mouth of the caterpillar changes into proboscises and reproductive organs develop. Some caterpillars (larva) spin cocoons for protection, with each species making a distinct type. In the final stage, the insect, which is not quite a moth, crawls from the cocoon. Its abdomen is still elongated, and the wings are merely crumpled stubs.

The body then begins to pulsate; fluid is pumped through its veins, and within minutes, the wings begin to unfurl. The polyphemus moth is usually seen in flight during July.

The Luna moth is considered the most beautiful of all the moths. Each pale green wing has a transparent spot; the forewings are lined along the upper edge with purple, and the hind wings taper into long slender tails.

The most famous caterpillar is the woolly bear caterpillar. These caterpillars have a brown middle stripe and black on either end. Supposedly, farmers at one time predicted how severe the winters were going to be by the black stripe on the woolly bear. The wider the black stripe the more severe the winter was going to be. However, biologists tell us that the stripe is only an indicator of the caterpillar’s age.

Although unusual among caterpillars, the woolly bear over winters in the caterpillar stage. When spring arrives, the caterpillar awakens and resumes eating. Then it will spin a cocoon, with the pupal stage lasting approximately two weeks. The light brown Isabella Tiger Moth emerges in early summer. Shortly after hatching, the female mates and lays egg clusters on plants, which hatch in four or five days.

The larvae feed together for several days and then disperse. In four weeks, they will go through six molts and are then ready to pupate. The second-generation adults hatch and lay more eggs. It is the larva from this second generation that we see in the fall when crossing the roads in search of winter quarters.

Another interesting thing about the woolly bear caterpillar is that it is the speed demon of the larvae world. A woolly bear can crawl up to four feet per minute or one-half mile per hour, which is a break-neck speed for a caterpillar.

Do you agree that this insect world we share the planet Earth with is amazing?

Bill Bower is a retired Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Officer. Read his blog and listen to his podcasts on the outdoors at www.onemaningreen.com.