I’ve been setting up my blacklight in my yard every night for three and a half weeks now and check on it periodically throughout the evening. It’s been an interesting experience and I’ve learned a lot of new things about insect behaviors that I didn’t know before by watching the things that come to my light. However, what I’ve really been hoping for is just one big moth. My backyard is all grass except for a row of non-native privet hedges, so it’s not an ideal habitat for most big things. Still, I finally got one big moth last night:
Tulip tree silkmoth
A tulip tree silkmoth! These are large, beautiful moths that come out a little earlier in the evening than a lot of the other large moths. Indeed, this one showed up on the sheet about 10:30PM. It was still on my sheet this morning, so I picked it up to move it to the bushes so it wouldn’t be quite so conspicuous to my dogs. It eventually flew off. What a lovely thing to see!
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The Dragonfly Woman 
A nice find. I have the joy of seeing bats in the evening in my garden who chase after moths.
I wish I saw more bats near my lights! I love bats, but I don’t think I’ve ever gotten one in my yard, or at least not one that I’ve noticed.
I’d like to have a go with a light to see what comes into my yard, wouldn’t expect a whopper of a moth like yours.
It can be pretty easy to get a light set up in your yard! I’m going to write a post about it soon, just FYI.
WOW!
:)
Thats one big Moth, nowt like that in UK
You all don’t have any big moths? Really? Now I’m curious what your moth fauna looks like. I know you’ve at least got some good sized dragonflies over on your side of the pond!
I have a good many tulip trees in my yard. I may try looking along the treeline for these big moths tonight!