The Feathery Moth - PhotoFeed Contest Macro Photography 176.
As I was heading out to work on Friday morning, in-between a call, this tiny insect on the wall caught my attention. I stopped to take a closer look.
It has a rough-textured look, mottled brown wings and big, feathery, comb-like antennae.
Fascinating.
I'd seen this insect before, but not sure if it was a butterfly or something else. This time, curiosity got the better of me and I couldn’t pass by again without finding out what exactly it was.
Luckily, it was within reach and much easier to capture. So I moved closer, zoomed in and snap, snap. No noise, even had to hold my breathe to avoid scaring it away. Lol.
Switched on Google lens and searched. Turned out it's a moth - a male Vapourer Moth, Orgyia antiqua.
Family: Erebidae, subfamily Lymantriinae – The tussock moths*
Common across Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. No wonder it was right here in my yard, resting perfectly still like he owned the spot. Lol.
They're harmless, no sting or bite. But I'd surely be cautious around them. Hehehe.
The feathery antennae are just like a radar for tracking females. You can call it nature's version of GPS.
They're drawn to light at night, so it's common to find them around in the mornings.
Photo session over, I went on my way, while the moth continued to enjoy it's rest. Probably, it had a busy night, flying around, picking up female's scents for mating. Lol.
And that's it all about my morning find. Have you seen this type of insect before?
Author's Photos
Posted Using INLEO