Mothra for Dinner

[Digger]

Now that I've installed a butterfly bush on my deck, I have access to more plump, delicious feeders than I know what to do with.  Don't capture the larger Monarchs or Tiger Swallowtails of course.  But the larger skippers and assorted moths make for a gorge galore.  Tonight I snagged a plain brown moth; much larger than usual.  They are quite strong for their size.  Desta was due for dinner so the fluttering beast went into her cage.  The moth's thorax and abdomen was nearly the size of Desta.  But, no problem, of course. Just a bit of rough-and-tumble wrestling until Mothra was subdued.  Sometimes I worry a strong moth might have enough torque to damage the mantis.  Here is a picture of the banquet.  It's always very difficult, I find, to get a good shot of mealtime.  The prey is all disheveled, the mantis tries to maneuver to a spot where dinner won't be stolen, and the house is full of sticks and dowels and plants for mantid comfort.

 

[CosbyArt]

With Mothra gone, just keep an eye out for those two twin women showing up looking for him.

Desta looks happy with such a feast, and you captured a good shot of it too. It is usually near impossible to get photos of the event, especially as many do their happy dance with such a meal.

 

[Digger]

Those two little singing girls would soon disappear if they entered a Taumantis sigiana cage !

 

[CosbyArt]

Yeah, those are the ones.