Lion Like

Teetering back through the front door late last night we saw this quite large but exceptionally attractive moth on the front door. It was still there when I got up this morning so I pushed it gently onto my finger and popped it onto a fig leaf for a better background. This was a first for me, as ever since I was a child I've had this morbid fear of moths and have been totally freaked by them flying into the house to get to the light. Never in a million years would I have thought I could pick one up on my finger and, have to say, talk to it like a pet. Taking photographs over the last 2 years has completely changed my attitude - another good thing about blipping!! I would hurriedly add it's not going to be entered into the Pet group.

This is a female Oak Eggar moth, it's lighter and more yellowy-brown than the male but both have the white spot on the forewing. The various species of eggar moths may get their name from the egg-shaped cocoons their caterpillars (which have orange hairs) spin. The eggs are dropped at random while the female is in flight and they particularly like brambles which we have a lot of here.

It rather reminds me of a lion - I suppose it's the beautiful conspicuously colourful mane on the head and it is rather cuddly.

Twenty nine years today Hubs and I walked down the aisle so I think a few bubbles are in order for tonight!