Jeff - what great photos! I loved your captions, too! I am glad to hear that the Oklahoma redbud is a host for the IO. That is one silk moth that we DO get in Oklahoma. I have redbud seedlings all over my back yard from the neighbor next door and am allowing a select few to grow. Yes, I let the weeds grow in my yard because I never know what is going to come up that will either be a nectar or host plant. That's how I found out I have cudweed (host for the Painted Ladies); ageratum houstonium (THE best nectar plant I've found to date); wild strawberries (the lbjs love the flowers; and I have one nectar plant I have yet to ID. I also have a weed called "mare's tail" that I let grow in certain places because it attracts aphids. Why do I let that grow? Because the aphids are ONLY attracted to this particular plant, and the ladybugs come in droves to feast on it. I am learning to co-habit with weeds!! LOL! Susan

Lunas vary. Some will wrap themselves up in leaves on the tree. Others will go down to the ground to find a leaf. Either way, they usually end up in the leaf litter in the autumn. When I show lunas, I cut open the cocoon so the kids can see the wiggling pupa. It is a huge hit. I did 4 first grade classes today. Because of time constraints, only 2 classes got to the see luna pupa. The kids thought it was awesome. It can be tough convincing them a large green moth will be coming out of that pupa next May. When I first started doing demonstrations at this school, I did either 11 or 13 first grade classes (mind is going) plus kindergarteners while they waited for their buses. I was there the entire day. They gave me a schedule. They gave me a lunch period. Real official. Not anymore. The number of classes I get to teach each year has gone down and where I go is done on the fly. Last year, I noticed they no longer have monarch caterpillars in their rooms. I found out today that the administration had decided some time ago that learning about butterfly/moth life cycle is a waste of time since life cycle is to be officially covered in 3rd grade. So the teachers who do have me come in are asking for trouble. I had heard from other bug people about this problem but it is the first time that I know it has affected me. I do this all for free to help make sure schools do not have a reason to keep me out but apparently that won't placate some administrations. Lastly, I did take the Io cats with me today. Unfortunately, they were not in a parade mood. They just all sat on the same leaf the entire time, not even eating.

I had few IO moths in the past and they looked exactly the same as yours... so.. yes..

Stunning pictures! Just beautiful! Thanks for sharing these. I, too, think it is an Io moth. And just look how flashing those huge eye spots would startle a would-be predator. Suddenly what looked like a harmless mothy meal seems to turn into a bigger animal, glaring back with huge yellow, owl-like "eyes." I've said it before, and I have to say it again...ain't nature grand? Marcia