Last summer we found the above-pictured caterpillar in our garden. It was quite a site, almost alien like, and fairly large as well. Last week, in the evening, we saw a very large moth hit up against the window (blurry insert), and after looking it up, realized it was the grown up version of that caterpillar from last year. It is called a Cecropia Moth. In their grown up stage they can be up to 6 inches in diameter (see illustration). The one we saw was about 4. Still pretty big. I wouldn’t want it to fly into my hair!
Some background… the Cecropia is now nearly extinct, along with many large-sized moths, due to the introduction of a parasitic fly intended to attack gypsy moths. Another failed experiment in, what is turning into, a moth saga.
