Inspiration On My Street

An unfortunate robin's nest fell from the tree several days ago. I picked up the blue cracked-up egg that once nestled there. It isn't a good specimen, but a beautiful color to memorize. (No photo of the egg). Surprisingly, the nest was still in the grass and in fairly good shape after foot traffic, rain, dogs and wind.

Banjo and I went to the bank. He was going his own way. I was trying to get him comfortable on the leash, so I just followed along. He led me to a corner of the bank where this incredible creature was hanging around a gas meter. I ran home to get my camera and it was still there when I returned. I ran inside to get a quarter to show the scale of this guy.

I had never seen a moth this size, let alone one with a bright red head and legs. It's body was striped. It stayed a long time, seeming to struggle. I was afraid it was injured. There was something white attached to his leg, preventing him from flying. I asked a young man to help the moth. I found a paper clip to help remove the debri stuck to the insect.

After much observance, the young fellow and I saw the debri was gone. He had become free of it. The young man remarked that the "debri" was in a pattern. The tiny objects were adhered to the cement as he scratched at a set with the paper clip. Suddenly, we realized that HE was a SHE and the debri was her eggs.

I had never seen a moth move it's wings back and forth, separately. I have only seen the wings move together, up and down, in a flying motion. He said she would perhaps die after laying her eggs. I hoped to find her and keep her, should that happen. At the same time, I realized, I have kept her. She is right here in all her glory.