SB, yes, males fly more than females, and females bodies are bigger and fatter than males, but when they emerge from their cocoon in the daytime neither sex flies around. Also, when they're hanging onto the side of the reptarian cage, their wings cover their bodies, so I can't get a good look without disturbing them, which I don't want to do. So the only way I have of sexing them right after they emerge is by their antennae. Most female moths have string-like or very small antennae, but female luna moths have comb-like antennae, only it's about half the size of the males. I made a picture of a mating pair from the top of the cage to use as a reference - The female is on the left, the male on the right. The male also has real big eyes, the female almost doesn't seem to have any!

Usually when people find luna moth caterpillars, it's because they're through eating leaves and are traveling to find a place to make their cocoon. They can and do make it in a variety of places. Sometimes they stay in the tree whose leaves they'd been eating and make it on one of the branches. Sometimes they wrap up in leaves, sometimes they don't. Sometimes they make it on the ground or in a nearby tree. Regardless, at this point, it's most likely to overwinter in Missouri. Just keep it protected. I don't keep mine in air tight containers, because my common sense tells me that would encourage excessive moisture and the resulting mold. A plastic container needs some sticks or other rougher objects inside it that the moth can climb onto when it emerges - plastic is slippery, and the newly emerged moth would not likely form properly, since they need to hang to bring the fluids to the wings to expand them. Mine are in cages that are PVC frames with mesh coverings that are outside on my front porch - it's best to keep them outside so the moth will be more likely to emerge when spring occurs. The inside of a heated house is too warm, the moth will probably emerge too early there. It should be protected from critters that might eat it. Do you remember if this caterpillar had a yellow line along its side? If it didn't, it would be a polyphemus moth, also a big beauty. Sherry

I have 4 trenches dug, 6 X 2, or so. After I fill a trench with the kitchen compost, I shovel a little soil onto the top, and then cover the whole trench with straw, for insulation - keeps cool in the summer and warm in winter. I have a shade cloth (green mesh) that makes a ceiling over the whole thing - not touching, but hovering above - I attach the cloth to pvc pipe and push the pipe into the soil around the trenches - gives extra insulation, but mainly so the sun doesn't hit the trenches. The castings are wonderful, and I use them to start seeds - I grow only from seed. Garden was show-off lovely this year - I have 12 beds full of vegetables - intensive planting. When I first thought of using the ground, I was sure the worms would run away, but as long as they are fed meals, they stay home. It takes about 6 weeks from mushy not-great-smelling kitchen scraps to beautiful castings. I use a screen to strain out the soil, and put the worms that are still there (the others have moved next door) in their nursery container to procreate, and then when I'm ready to start another worm trench, I take a handful of worms and toss them in. If I can figure out how to put a picture here, I'll show you a photo of the garden in its prime.

Huxley sure hit a lot of nails on the head with those quotes. Like Lilo, #2 resonates with me...every day. Thanks Don!! Hope everyone is well.