Jaci Dawn

I found this cocoon last fall. I set it aside with the strawberries in the planter.

My husband moved it to a glass jar with a wire cover this past May. We both believed it to be the cocoon of a praying mantis. We were so wrong. Don just called me down to witness the transformation of cocoon to creature.

Neither picture shows the glory of the creature that emerged from that cocoon…

The polyphemus moth.

OMG. Wing span over four inches. Incredible cinnamon color with eye spots. Lethargic from just having hatched. Seriously beautiful and incredible.

As you can see, we turned it loose. But what an incredible guest it was! Godspeed little moth. Godspeed.