header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
March 28
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir


Commentary by Mari Carbajal
| Thursday, Aug 25, 2016

maricarbajalIt was bedtime at the Carbajal home. Everything was quiet. A soft breeze entered through the window. The alarm was set for work, a glass of water sat by the bedside, and Mari lay adorned in her nighty-nights.

Had the alarm really been set? She thought it had been, but there was that nagging, familiar question: Had she set it for a.m. or p.m. in a drowsy state? An all-too-frequent mistake in a rush to get some sleep.

Mari turned on the light to check the alarm. It was fine. But just as she went to turn off the light, an enormous animal flew into the room.

At first she thought it was a hummingbird. But at night, and so late? No, it wasn’t that at all.

All of a sudden, this flying monster came closer at the speed of light, directly toward the light over Mari’s head.

Mari ducked under the covers and was afraid to peek outside the safety of the sheet. She gained enough courage to see where and what this animal was and slowly lowered the sheet from her face.

On the wall perched the largest moth – ever.

It was as big as a small bird – much bigger than a hummingbird.

The moth took off from the wall with amazing grace and flew around the room. It appeared frightened and unsure of where it should go. Mari hoped it would just go back out the open window, but the moth seemed to start enjoying its boisterous aerobatics.

Shrieks could be heard as Mari once again went headfirst under the covers as the enormous moth again flew over her head.

Then her cat entered the room and was delighted to participate and join in the fun.

He began chasing the flying monster around and around. The cat pounced on the nightstand to catch the lurid animal, and the glass of water went flying across the bed where Mari was hiding – but now hiding in a soaked nighty-night.

Tired of the antics and wanting nothing but to go to sleep in peace, Mari got up from hiding and ran into the kitchen for a large container with a lid. The hunt was on.

She reentered the bedroom, and resting on top of the bed was the motionless Mothasaurus. Surely it was anticipating its next move, she thought. Quickly, Mari lunged forward with container in hand, knocking the cat off of the bed and capturing the horrendous beast.

Victory. But what was it? It filled the entire plastic container.

After doing some research, Mari found this beautiful creature to be a Manduca sexta, which is a moth of the family sphingidae. It’s also known as a Caroline sphinx moth and inhabits most of the continental United States.

What a spectacular animal. Even though it caused some major havoc, it was a pleasure to inspect the moth up close.

This was no ordinary little moth. “Little” is not a word to use in its description. Its body was 1 inch in width, with a wingspan of nearly 5 inches. No wonder it flew with such precision.

As larvae, they are called a tobacco hornworm or a goliath worm and are often confused with tomato worms. Tomato worms have blue-black horns, while tobacco hornworms have red horns. The tobacco hornworm larva grows to nearly 2-3/4 inches in length.

The adult moths are nectarivorous and feed on various species of flowers. As amazing as it sounds, they have the ability to hover – not too far off from Mari’s first impression of it being a hummingbird.

Adult males and females are sexually dimorphic. You can identify the male by his broader antennae. The female moth is ready to mate one week after emerging from the pupae state as an adult, but she mates only one time. Males mate many times in their life.

After mating, females deposit their fertilized eggs on the underside of leaves. The eggs are a translucent green and hatch in two to four days. Of course, the growth is followed by a pre-pupa and pupa stage until the moth finally emerges as an adult.

Unfortunately, Mari found that the lifespan of this species is only 30 to 50 days. How sad, she thought, that such a wonderful animal would have such a short time to live.

Feeling horrible for hiding under the covers and not spending more time to observe this amazing animal, especially in flight, Mari named it “What-the-Heck” and released it back into the wilds of Agua Dulce.

The End.

 

Mari Carbajal is a docent-naturalist at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center.

 

moth

 

 

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

2 Comments

  1. Patrick Comey says:

    What a wonderful story and a reminder to appreciate the beauty of nature!

  2. Like the one we saw in Saugus

Leave a Comment


Opinion Section Policy
All opinions and ideas are welcome. Factually inaccurate, libelous, defamatory, profane or hateful statements are not. Your words must be your own. All commentary is subject to editing for legibility. There is no length limit, but the shorter, the better the odds of people reading it. "Local" SCV-related topics are preferred. Send commentary to: LETTERS (at) SCVNEWS.COM. Author's full name, community name, phone number and e-mail address are required. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses are not published except at author's request. Acknowledgment of submission does not guarantee publication.
Read More From...
RECENT COMMENTARY
Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024
Remo, Inc. is is the world's leading manufacturer and developer of synthetic drumheads and shells. They’ve been in business for 60 years
Tuesday, Mar 26, 2024
Springtime in Santa Clarita brings not only vibrant blooms and opportunities to embrace the outdoors with warmer weather, but also an array of free, family-friendly events and this Saturday is no exception.
Thursday, Mar 21, 2024
Did you know that each year, Main Street in Old Town Newhall undergoes countless makeovers for different events, such as Light Up Main Street and the Fourth of July Parade?
Thursday, Mar 21, 2024
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose Fifth District includes the Santa Clarita Valley, issued the following statement Thursday in response to an announcement by Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel of a proposal to change how calls to the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline are routed.
Monday, Mar 18, 2024
Unlike our children who enjoy a week-long spring break, we adults no longer have that luxury.
Friday, Mar 15, 2024

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health today unveiled the latest L.A. County Health Survey, which gathers vital data on health behaviors, conditions, neighborhood settings, and the needs of L.A .County residents, informing future public health policies and programs.
Public Health Unveils the 2023 L.A. County Health Survey Findings
Due to the projected rain forecast, Eggstravaganza will now be held indoors at the Canyon Country Community Center beginning promptly at 10 a.m. on March 30.
March 30: Eggstravaganza Now Being Held Indoors at Canyon Country Community Center
To support the mental health of California's young people, the California Department of Public Health awarded $25 million to 28 tribal and community-based organizations across the state.
California Announces $25 Million in Awards for Youth Mental Health
The College of the Canyons Athletic Department will host a dedication ceremony to unveil the Michele Jenkins Softball Team Room in honor of the longtime board member and ardent softball program supporter’s nearly 40 years of service to the district.
April 16: COC to Host Michele Jenkins Team Room Dedication Ceremony
PFLAG Santa Clarita has announced the establishment of the Peggy and Jeff Stabile PFLAG SCV Scholarship. The scholarship will provide financial assistance to LGBTQIA+ students pursuing higher education and committed to advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights and promoting diversity and inclusion.
PFLAG SCV Announces Stabile PFLAG Scholarship
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir
The California Department of Public Health launched the “Never a Bother” campaign, a youth suicide prevention public awareness and outreach campaign for youth, young adults, and their parents, caregivers, and allies.
California Launches New Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign
The Santa Clarita Master Chorale invites the community to "Let the Sunshine In," a delightful evening of food, wine and song at the annual Cabaret & Cabernet fundraising benefit.
April 20: Santa Clarita Master Chorale’s Cabaret, Cabernet Fundraiser
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:
March 27 Ocean Water Warning
As an integral ingredient necessary to help the Santa Clarita Valley to flourish, feedback from the business community is the secret sauce for achieving great things.
SCVEDEC Asks For the Business Community’s Opinion on Santa Clarita
Raise your heart rate while raising funds for the Santa Clarita Sister Cities Dollars-for-Desks campaign to provide school desks for students in Sariaya, Santa Clarita's Sister City in the Philippines.
April 13: Sister Cities Zumba-thon Fundraiser
Remo, Inc. is is the world's leading manufacturer and developer of synthetic drumheads and shells. They’ve been in business for 60 years
SCVEDC Company Spotlight: Drumming Up Big Business with Remo, Inc.
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) and Assemblyman James Ramos (D-Highland) have introduced AB 3074 the "School or athletic team names: California Racial Mascots Act."
Schiavo Introduces Bill to Prohibit ‘Derogatory’ School Mascot Names
Los Angeles County’s Justice, Care and Opportunities Department  in collaboration with Local Initiatives Support Corporation Los Angeles is proud to announce the 2nd Annual Pitch Competition for the cohorts of JCOD's Incubation Academy.
March 28: JCOD Incubation Academy Helps Grassroots Non-Profits For the Second Year
Children’s Bureau is seeking foster families and now offers two virtual ways for individuals and/or couples to learn how to help children in foster care while reunifying with birth families or how to provide legal permanency by adoption.
April 18: Children’s Bureau Hosts Virtual Orientation
The Sunburst track was constructed in 1887 by the Southern Pacific Railroad and was a part of the main line running between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Enjoy Spring With a Ride On The Sunburst Track
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a Personal Finance Summit today where he announced his support for Assembly Bill 2927 (McCarty), legislation that would require a personal finance education course for California high school graduation.
State Superintendent Announces Support for Personal Finance Graduation Requirement
1847 - Probable birth date of Pico Canyon oil driller Charles Alexander Mentry [story]
C.A. Mentry
The first Music Jam Session at The MAIN was held on Thursday, Feb. 22 and was a hit. Come out and join in for the next one on Thursday, March 28 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
March 28: The MAIN to Host Musicians’ Jam Session
Los Angeles County Inspector General Max Huntsman of the Office of Inspector General has issued a report entitled "Tenth Report Back on Implementing Body-Worn Cameras in Los Angeles County."
Office of Inspector General Issues Latest Report on LASD Body Cams
College of the Canyons women's tennis played to a convincing 7-2 conference win over Ventura College on Moica to strengthen its potential playoff resume.
Canyons Closes Out Ventura 7-2 in Final Home Match
Join the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce with the Latino Business Alliance at the Cinco de Mayo Networking Celebration on Tuesday, May 7.
May 7: Latino Business Alliance Cinco de Mayo Celebration
The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control is hosting March Meowness promotion where all cat adoptions are just $15 from now until April 9.
Adopt a Cat During March Meowness at Castaic Animal Center
SCVNews.com