Cecropia Moth pair.

Springtime. That time of year when a young man's thoughts turn to... Giant Silk Moths! (At least me, anyway!) Here is a female/male pair set I just mounted in this display box for Jamie, of Cecropia Moths, North America's largest indigenous giant silk moth. Jamie helped me to raise these in the summer and fall of 2006. The two specimens emerged from their cocoons in June of 2007. I just built this display box for this pair, tonight so that Jamie would have a complete set of the more common giant silk moths of eastern Pennsylvania. The four most commonly found giant silks in PA are the Cecropia, Polyphemus, Luna, and Promethea Moths.

Here are two more specimens from the same 2006-2007 brood. This goes to show that Cecropia Moths are like snowflakes. No two are exactly alike, as this is another pair of male and female in another set I have, but are shown in separate images.

                                                               Female.

                                                               Male.

Here are 16 more moths from that same rearing project back in 2007 that I just mounted and sealed in this 16" X 20"  Riker mount style display box this week, on July 17th. Males and females, both shown here. This display shows that no two specimens of this species are identical. In that aspect they are like people or snowflakes. Each individual is unique.

Jim.