Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Actias Luna

actias luna

So, what's new with you? I continue to feel unsettled. Not sure why, exactly. There are all kinds of excuses, like the pollen, or the changes at work, or the changing seasons, or the changes at home (work on the porch continues). Twice during the last week I have come home from work exhausted, and gone to bed absurdly early. I hope this is just a transient thing, and not me coming down with something or slowly losing my mind.

Maybe I will feel better after we have had Big Daddy's celebration on Saturday, and his interment on Monday. In addition to the obituary on Sunday, there was an article in the Atlanta newspaper about him in Monday's Metro section. I'm still putting together the photo slide show for the reception.

The porch construction is coming along. The contractors were the ones who first saw the luna moth in the photo. I would have completely missed it. It was clinging to the brick near the downspout on the corner of our home. At first, its wings were folded, and it looked like a leaf. They pointed it out and I went in to get my camera. I think giant Saturnid moths are beautiful, and took several photos of it. My regular readers know how I love the Latin names for things. Thus the post title. If you've never seen a giant Saturnid moth in person, they are impressive. They have a 4-5" wingspan, and all have vivid, distinctly marked coloring - most with "eyes" like this one. They tend to hide in unobtrusive locations and are easy to miss. I once shot a whole roll of film of a polyphemus moth that I found on my windowsill one Saturday morning in Massachusetts. Beautiful!

In other news, I was well positioned to win the office NCAA tourney pool, but Memphis blew it for me, so I came in tied for 5th. Hmpf. Oh well. I did way better than last year, when Georgia Tech was in there warping my otherwise good judgment. Memphis was doomed from the moment I inked them in the top spot on my bracket. I have notoriously bad luck with sports wagers. Once I was spotted 50 points on a game, and my team lost 51-0. 'Nuff said.

14 comments:

LL said...

That is a good lookin' bug fermi.

As for being unsettled, I'm right with ya. And I can't put my finger on it either. I guess I'll just chalk it up to stress and hit the sack anyway.

I think you'll settle down after this next weekend though. It'll be tough on you, but you'll make it. And you know I'll be here to give you a hug every now and again. But don't get used to it... I've got a curmudgeonly reputation to uphold. ;)

MJW said...

Insects don't get that big in this part of the country, so, no matter how impressive it looks (and it does look impressive), and no matter how harmless it is, I would probably still be a little taken aback at first if I saw it in person. That's an excellent photo of it, though.

That is a great story about your policeman/magician grandfather (and an invaluable photo of his magic act). In his portrait photo (with the obituary), he looks very distinguished and handsome.

Fermi: "I did way better than last year, when Georgia Tech was in there warping my otherwise good judgment."

Me: LOL!! ;-D

MJW said...

Oh yeah: I've been a bit unsettled too, but usually only when I go to bed at night and also when I first wake up in the morning (because my brain is no longer busily preoccupied with life's petty distractions). For me, it has to do with the fact that I have repeatedly failed to wake up from this annoying hallucination in which I am single and in my mid-to-late 40s. Ha?

wa11z said...

Looks like a jellyfish to me.

Jeni said...

For me, the best way to appreciate a bug -of any type -is via a photograph cause in person, I tend not to like them very much.
That's a beautiful picture though and when you look at it, doesn't it make you think of a fairy princess or something -so pretty, so delicate -doing some kind of ballet dance to boot?

MJW said...

Jeni: "For me, the best way to appreciate a bug -of any type -is via a photograph cause in person, I tend not to like them very much."

I love dry understatement like that. ;-)

Dianne said...

Beautiful photo. Made me remember the first time I say a praying mantis. I have to put those photos up.

I'll be thinking of you this weekend. You have every reason to feel unsettled and some extra sleep may be exactly what's right for you right now.

fermicat said...

ll - I think your reputation is safe, even if you are kinda nice sometimes. Now if you stop insulting "old guys" of 36... then I'll know something's up.

mw - not even grasshoppers? Locusts? Those things get pretty big and scary.

wa11z - huh?

jeni - I'm not a fan of bugs crawling on me (in fact I scream like a girl when that happens), but I really enjoy photographing them. Especially moths and butterflies.

dianne - ah, I have lots of mantis photos as well. It creeps me out how they stare at you like they are sizing you up. No more extra sleep until Sunday most likely, but I will sneak it in when I can.

wa11z said...

Yes, if you were to look at it as if it were two-dimensional then the shape is that of a jellyfish.

fermicat said...

wa11z - ah, now I see it. You have an artist's perspective. I was thinking much too linearly (and literally). I think jellyfish look like space aliens, which is one reason why I think they are cool.

Beth said...

I'm afraid of moths. It's silly, but they freak me right out ... as do butterflies.

I've been doing some shopping for upcoming son's birthday. Buying him some Sandman books by Gaiman, which he loves. I need to get out and do some yardwork, but am waiting for mulch delivery. I need a truckload. =/

I think it's nice about Big Daddy's write-up. Most people have quiet send-offs that equal obscurity. I know my mother felt like there weren't enough people around when my dad passed, but I felt quite the opposite. Hubby and I are not having funerals or viewing, just a quick burn and storage of the ashes.

OK, I am sorry to ramble.

Minnesotablue said...

Big Daddys write up was wonderfull. Hopefully you will get back on track after this weekend. I'll be thinking of you.

Ben O. said...

That's beautiful.

Jim Donahue said...

Wow--beautiful moth. Never seen anything like it.