The other day we were greeted by the appearance of a very special visitor. She almost went undetected until my son’s friend put his hand against the side of the house and noticed her sitting nearby. It was a beautiful and VERY oversized winged creature known as a Luna Moth. I’ve lived in Maine my entire life and have never been lucky enough to see one of these majestic creatures, so her visit was quite a treat. Sadly, she is no longer with us. Here’s why…
Luna Moths are huge in comparison to other moths, with an impressive wingspan of four and a half inches! They’re a beautiful lime-green in color, and that’s the part I find most captivating. It makes me wonder if they designed Tinkerbell after this natural beauty.
Adult Luna Moths never eat. In fact, they have no mouths. Flying only at night in the spring and summer months, their sole purpose is to mate under the moonlight. It even sounds like a fairy tale! Unfortunately, they only have a week in which to enjoy the world around them. That’s right. Adults live for seven short days. And ours was no exception.
After resting on the side of the house for several days, this morning we discovered her upside down and lifeless on the bottom of the porch. It’s crazy how sad I felt inside. It also made me wonder what I would do if I knew I only had a week to live. I certainly wouldn’t spend it perched to the side of the house. And I definitely wouldn’t be mating (sorry hubby). I would probably scoop up my kids and spend whatever money I had available enjoying life – eating, playing, singing, dancing – that’s how I would end my journey.
I wonder if this little lady had any idea that her time would be so short.
What about you? If you knew you only had a week to live, how would you spend your final days?
