Non-Yard Critter of the Week

Eastern Buck Moth

This is a male, in a defensive posture.

And this a female, laying eggs. Note the bright orange egg at the top, it has just been laid (as always, click any image to bigafy it).

Moments later, it has already faded. Eventually they'll all be green, appearing as lichens on the branch.

These are members of the silk moth family, in which the adult stage, the moth, have no mouth parts. They live to reproduce. And once the food reserves are gone so are they. The eggs will last the winter with caterpillars emerging in spring feeding on Oak leaves. Said caterpillars make their cocoons in the late summer and emerge as moths around September. And the cycle begins anew.

🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

Thanks to Bernie Knaupp for showing us the spot.