The Photo of the Week is a Prometheus Moth. It is one of the biggest moths with a wingspan of 5 ½ inches!! 

The story behind the photo:  I am walking down the sidewalk going to the IHop in Hackettstown when I see this large moth/butterfly on the sidewalk.  He didn’t act like he was in any rush to get off the sidewalk.  Several thoughts going through my mind: I want a photo, but not with a cement sidewalk backdrop & I also want to move him so he isn’t stepped on, etc.  Go back to my SUV and get some paper to slide under him so not to damage his wings and help me transport him over to the nice garden just off the parking lot.  Got my photo, go eat and then do a little research to ID what I just photographed.

If you want to learn about these fascinating creatures, I recommend reading this article from Wikipedia, which is actually quite interesting and covers some basic facts and descriptions AND does a nice job of explaining just how butterflies and moths have developed over the millennia and currently fit into our current world! You can read the article here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepidoptera.

So, what are the differences between moths and butterflies? Not only are there physical differences, but there are behavioral differences, too. Moths are generally nocturnal, but butterflies are most active in day (diurnal). They hold their wings differently and even their pupal stages happen differently. They look different, too! Moths are usually duller colored and butterflies more colorful. Their antennae are shaped differently, and their bodies, too! To learn more about the differences of these winged insects, check out https://www.livescience.com/34472-difference-between-moth-butterfly.html.

I enjoy hiking and visiting our many Parklands AND I always have my camera handy!  My trips are mainly to photograph and then show the public just how great our many Parks are.   The set of photos below is from me reviewing some of those files and putting aside photos of Butterflies and Moths.  After doing a little research and writing this article, I hope YOU have also learned, ‘there is a lot more to these beautiful and graceful flyers’ than just something pretty flickering and flitting through our beautiful surroundings!!  NOTE:  Many of our Parks and their supporting groups offer Butterfly and Moth related activities!!  Always a fun Family outing!!