HAPPY NEW WEEK!
I hope everyone has a wonderful and healthy week!
I have a small natural sack hanging from a branch next to my front door. It feels like papery leather, and there's clearly something inside it, because it moves on its own! It's oddly heavy! I've been concerned that it may have been made by a swarm of wasps or a large bat.
I think I've finally figured out what built it and is living in it. I believe it's a Cecropia moth, a giant silk moth. These are the largest moths in North America, and they can be more than 7 inches wide or 18 centimeters. They appear as big as a human hand. I hope I'm outdoors when the cocoon opens. Here's a photo showing what the cocoon looks like (mine is wider than this one):
Cecropia Moth CocoonPhoto labeled "Public Domain" (copyright free)
Here's a photo showing what the moth will look like, if that's what comes out:
Cecropia Moth, giant silk mothPhoto labeled "Public Domain" (copyright free)
A lovely surprise indeed, AQ! How cheering. A few of our neighbours have taken to putting out folding chairs, and then having a tea party in the morning in their own driveways, with plenty of distance between them. Not large gatherings (forbidden) but just two or three neighbours enjoying a gossip - enough to keep you sane if you're missing having a good chinwag. Loved your Rosellas. I noticed the neighbours this morning as I drove down to Boots again, as when I went on Monday they had forgotten one item I needed, eye drops: how I wished I had checked the bag full of meds when I collected it (won't do that again...) It took several phone calls to clear up, and then they began texting me to say that they were "in". But they have a limited opening time every day, which you have to remember. Apparently in nearby Manchester, a few idiots have been pulled up for speeding in their cars on what are now temptingly empty roads. You are lucky to live in such a special and beautiful part of the UK, dibnlib.
That's a good sneaky trick with the Amazon books, Annette!!! I noticed that they now let you see inside some of them. I've been buying only slightly used copies of books for the children, at very low prices. Some are only a few pence! - but the catch is, then they charge you £2.95 for delivery! My OH is out sunning himself - he looks as if he's just had a month on the French Riviera! he's such a colour!
I keep looking to see if Diane's cocoon has hatched yet! --- its really exciting!
Rosy: Ooop, sorry, should have made my reference to 'clueless leader' more obvious, but yes, you're correct. If you see that young man again, suggest you stick out your foot as he passes.... no, that's not nice, is it, but....
dibnlib: I also like mysteries set in the UK; it's like a trip home. My niece recommended a Netflix series to me, but as soon as I realized it was set in Los Angeles I lost interest. Nice that you can sneak a walk in the forest. Just looked at it on Google Earth - what a lovely area!
AQ: Lovely lat bday surprise for your OH at your doorstep. We've just remembered that yesterday was our wedding anniversary! Talk about losing track of the days....
Lindybird: That's a nice idea your neighbors have come up with. I supposed you could substitute wine and move it to late afternoon? Re speeding, my friend's son works in Los Angeles (critical services) and says it's almost more dangerous now than when traffic was stop and go. Don't like the sound of the driest April in 300 years, at least from the wildfire standpoint as OG mentioned.
Have two tree people coming to look at our orange tree, which is getting up into some wires and way too high for me to get a lot of the fruit. You can remove a certain percentage of the growth without harming the tree itself, so I might have them bring it down a bit; depends on the quotes.