Well, let's see, you've got 100 polys, lunas, 100+ cecropias, baltimores - whew! I'm tired just thinking about it! Moths of the world thank you, psyc1210! Sherry

Sherry, the Polyphemus spins a white cocoon. Unlike the Luna, the Poly cocoon is quite dense. They spin a LOT of silk! Their cocoons look like tiny surgical casts. In fact, it is because of this, that the Poly's first cousin, native to China, Antheraea pernyi, was and may still be used for silk, just as the Bombyx is. The Cynthia moth is also used for silk. At one time, Cynthias were common in NE US, but have largely died off, chiefly due to habitat loss as well as parasitoids such as the tachinid fly. Susanlynne, one sureshot way to tell male from female Luna, at a glance, is color. The females are that characteristic green, while males are yellow-green. I could tell from my upstairs bedroom window, the Luna I saw, resting on a young hickory, was most definitely a male. No way could I see its body size or antennae. I hope this helps.

Thanks. This season my 5 and 2 year old have been helping me raise some monarchs and black swallowtails. This is my first time raising them as well, so we're all learning a lot in the process...like how to ID milkweed and that I need to plant lots more fennel and carrots next season. :) We are all much more excited about getting out and seeing what we can discover. I think they're learning a healthy respect and appreciation of nature. I can't think of a more fun way for us to spend our summer together. Thanks to everyone for answering so many of my questions here and for posting such great pictures and questions of your own. I learn something new every time I check in. This is a great resource! Kim Here is a link that might be useful: My garden and caterpillars

Follow up to last year's caterpillars... I ended up with 2 cocoons, which overwintered in a butterfly pavillion on my balcony. Both cocoons were in a birch tree, btw. I clipped the branches they were on and laid them in the pavillion, securing the pavillion so it didn't blow off the balcony. Yesterday one of them eclosed! I didn't even know it until I saw a huge moth hanging on the side of the house and realized the time was here! I ran upstairs and sure enough, there was a partially unfolded polyphemus hanging from the top of the mesh. I left it in the pavillion overnight because it wasn't fully open. This morning I found one outside the pavillion, waiting for the pretty girl to come out and "play". So I used a branch to fish her out of the enclosure and she and her new friend are basking in the sun on the deck. The other hasn't eclosed, but I'll be watching closely.