Four years plus or minus a week

Arrived at work this gloomy, hot, muggy, windy, pollen soup of a morning to find a striking moth on the red tile outside the door.  Haven't we met here before? Same door. Same floor.

75205 04/29/17

75205 05/07/13

At lunch I stepped out to see if the moth was still hanging around. Yes, but what's that goo? Did somebody step on it? No. I'm pretty sure it was laying a great gob of round yellow eggs.

Why would it lay eggs on the red tile? Red-green color blindness? Returning to the ancestral home?

After work the eggs were still there, but the moth looked more than a little deceased. Do mother moths die as soon as they lay eggs? So many questions!

Beginning to find hints  with my recent treat, Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America with its clear illustrations. The best match is a "Salt Marsh Moth" or Estigmene acrea.

Do not worry about the salt marsh name. Yup, the moths emerge, mate, lay eggs, and die, looking very sharp for the whole 4-5 days. Kinda makes me feel better about my situation!




© 2013-2017 Nancy L. Ruder