Nanetta: Little Bird

Nanetta: Little Bird: "This little retro style bird is a new design, shown here made of Yupo. It has a little hole for hanging with a length of fishing line. I ma..."

Little Bird

This little retro style bird is a new design, shown here made of Yupo. It has a little hole for hanging with a length of fishing line. I made a mobile and drew wild designs on several. The simplicity of white works too.

A flock of big-eyed birds land on my pen tab. They are prototypes trying to get the hanging hole placed correctly. I cut new designs in miniature to conserve material. I often cut 10 or more to get them right.

This view shows my cutting software screen. The eye detail is connected by a thin line to the bird body. The biggest challenge for me is getting the tail to fit snugly onto the body. The red areas you see are cut lines. They are a different color than the outline because they will be cut before the outer areas in black. Along with this issue, when the size of the bird changes the scale must change, but the width of the wing slit must stay the same. This is because the width of the paper doesn't change. Likewise, the tail slot must be adjusted.

Nanetta: Giant Silk Moth

Nanetta: Giant Silk Moth: "After some research, I have found that my egg-dropping friend is a Giant Silk Worm Moth. Wow! It is the largest moth in North America. I do..."

Giant Silk Moth

After some research, I have found that my egg-dropping friend is a Giant Silk Worm Moth. Wow! It is the largest moth in North America. I do not see any reference to Kansas, however. I am afraid the moth is either injured or not very bright. Laying her eggs around a gas meter on a concrete sidewalk is certain starvation for the creature that will grow within.

This moth is either a Robin or a Columbia Silk Moth. Any informati0n would be most welcomed. I found this moth is often bred in classrooms. There are sites that sell their eggs. It seems a shoebox is a major component in this endeavor. So I went back to the bank, picked up a half-dozen or so eggs with disposable chopsticks and placed them in a glass test tube. Still actively laying eggs, I avoided getting near her. I will go back tomorrow and see what has transpired overnight. At the very least, I will put them in a tree if I can learn the kind of tree they need.

One site told of the evolutionary aspects of the colors and patterns of these moths. The extreme bright colors and threatening images suggested by the patterns on the wings keep predators away. Faux eyes and fangs are depicted in the camoflauge. What makes these moths such a delicacy? They supposedly taste like raw shrimp.

Nanetta: Inspiration On My Street

Nanetta: 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'..."

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.