Mammoth Moth

[clivehorridge]

As some will know, every weekend we migrate from Bucharest where we work, to our house 110 km north of the capital, to enjoy some peace and quiet in the country, in the foothills of the mountains nearby.

This weekend is no exception and on arrival at the house at about 11:00 pm, I noticed a moth amongst the weeds that are supposed to be a flower border. I couldn't resist a photo, so out came the iPhone and click...



Nothing unusual, you may add, and maybe not, it is quite a pretty thing as moths go, then I realized, I would need to give it some scale, to justify taking a photo of a friggin moth! So I dropped my fag packet as close as I dared, not wanting it to fly away....



Crappy photo I know, but it shows this was no ordinary flutterer, it was a bit on the large side...

After offloading our weekend provisions from the Truck into the house, I noticed the moth had moved and was now on the wall of the house. I couldn't resist, I got a tape measure and took another photo.



There you go, 150 mm, now that's not your normal bob-howler, it's a big 'un, by anyone's standards.

I know many of you have been to, or live in exotic places, such as Africa, Australia and any number of wonderful places, but this is boring Europe for goodness sake!

Anyboy else seen a big moth in temperate Europe? Or am I overdoing this and it's not so big after all?

In my 62 Years, I've never seen a moth that big outside of a collection of dead-uns.

 

[Chas]

Beautiful, I like that one by the fag packet it looks like a face wearing a mask on its back.

 

[froggy Steve]

Yup! same one too

 

[frank rabbets]

That's what ate my tent.

 

[clivehorridge]

That's what ate my tent.

No wonder it's so big Frank!

It'll be Frank's moth from now on!

 

[clivehorridge]

Yup! same one too

View attachment 19356

That's the one Steve, self same makings, too! Are they common in France? Because I've been here for 14 years, and it's the first one I've seen...

 

[froggy Steve]

Giant Emperor Moth I think - I wouldnt say common, but in the 13 years I have been here, I have only ever seen 3! But here is the countryside, not quite back of beyond!

 

[Shayne]

I remember seeing a very large moth when i was a kid and watching it for quite some time wondering why it hadn't been eaten by seagulls . I was very young maybe 5 so it probably wasn't as big as these but i am wondering again if seagulls are the reason these are so rarely seen ?

 

[frank rabbets]

Clive you wouldn't want a wardrobe full of those .

Seriously though I realise it's the caterpillar that eats wool. I have a big collection as I used to collect them in the 60's 70's. My uncle brought one of these back from his holiday in Portugal. He drowned it in whisky. I never did identify it. I've just been to check and they are all perfect after all these years. Mites can eat a collection away but I keep topping it up with preservative vapour.

 

[clivehorridge]

TBH Frank, it seems from my experience, it's the little moths we get in the apartment in Bucharest who's grubs do the most damage to clothes. I lost just about a whole wardrobe at one time.

I have aver to wear sits to the office in the winter, so I have about 5 work suits in the wardrobe. Last autumn, I fetched them out to have them all dry-cleaned ready for the winter, and every suit was damaged.

Little buggers, we ended up having the whole apartment fumigated, to be sure we'd got rid of all the grubs and eggs. They're a pain.

 

[frank rabbets]

They eat carpets as well Clive. You should be so lucky as to have expensive suits with wool in . You can still buy moth balls and some are odourless.

 

[Ben]

Thats huge Clive!

Not seen any anywhere near that big down here.

 

[clivehorridge]

They eat carpets as well Clive. You should be so lucky as to have expensive suits with wool in . You can still buy moth balls and some are odourless.

Yes Frank, we have them now, I think the moth grubs have them for desert!

BTW, my work suits cost in the region of 100 euro's each, so there's not too much of an investment stored in my wardrobe

 

[froggy Steve]

Thats huge Clive!

Not seen any anywhere near that big down here.

You just have really BIG spiders and pretty deadly snakes!

 

[stumog]

Look at this black mamba I got sent the other day.

 

[clivehorridge]

Thats huge Clive!

Not seen any anywhere near that big down here.

You've let me down Ben, I thought you were going to post some photos of pterodactyl-type moths, putting mine to shame

 

[clivehorridge]

View attachment 19382
Look at this black mamba I got sent the other day.

Err.... where's that Stu?

I hope I don't come across any of them on a dark night!

We have tichy 1/2m snake things here, I don't even think they have teeth...

 

[Chas]

We came across this spider in the Sahara, those beetle/moth thingys it is eating are about 1/2" long the spider is about as big as the palm of your hand.

 

[stumog]

That was taken near nelsprit area. There are lots of fruit trees. They say you can't out run a mamba and they are very aggressive.

 

[frank rabbets]

I would try and outslide one then .