Unexpected guests

Recently we found this unexpected visitor sitting in the sun on the pavement in front of the house. He lay pathetically on the floor, just waiting to be trodden on by anyone rushing on their way. Bounce spotted him with great glee, no doubt hoping for an excuse to be even later for school. So, with barely a pause, we whisked him to a safer place and galloped on our way.


Sadly the photos do not do him any justice at all. Lapin, with great enthusiasm, discovered that this is an Atlas moth - the World's biggest moth. He was comfortably eight inches across with his magnificent wings fully extended and had some fabulous markings. He did look a little ragged round the edges from his previous excursions but just feast your eyes upon his magnificent antenna and face.



After a relaxing day resting on the tree, basking in the sun and a small dose of sugary water dispensed by Lapin (not to mention the interest of most of the neighbours), he flew off into the distance. Let me tell you, the way an Atlas moth flies (erratically and with the same sort of surprised expression a heron wears when in mid-air as if they are not quite sure how they got up there), the distance is not too far away. I wonder how far he got.