What is it Wednesday: September 16, 2020

 

Can you identify what's in this photo?

 

 

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

 

 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

 

 

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

September 16, 2020. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

This big beauty is an imperial moth. They are the largest moth in Pennsylvania. 

The adults emerge in late summer – just in time to blend in with falling mottled-yellow leaves. Unlike many other moths and butterflies, imperial moths do not have a distinct pattern, but a general color scheme (yellow and purplish brown) with many variations. This may make it harder for predators to learn to identify them, enhancing their camouflage.

 

This particular moth was left by a visitor in our “Discovery Zone.” This is a display in the Discovery Room of our Environmental Education center where people can add their own interesting nature finds from their visit at Lutherlyn. Thank you to whoever left us this beautiful specimen!