May 30, 2016 – Promethea Moth

Andy and Spence spent time up on the road directing people to park in horse-camp day-use lot today.  I was still not confident to leave the motorhome (but I am slowly getting better). I did get dressed today, though. Day visitors were arriving in droves to have a picnic or to hike up to the Midnight Hole. Many of them walk up the trail by our host site.  Today, two families stopped to look at the butterfly on the huge log that serves as our fence.  I decided to go have a look.

b Moth on Rock Under Log
Promethea Moth on Rock Under Log

She is a Promethea Moth on a mossy rock under the edge of the log. The National Park Service web site says the females are active at night and the males are active in the afternoon. I am thrilled to add her to my photo collection.

We have talked it over with each other and Boss Larry, and have decided to leave Big Creek early this year. Larry said Clyde and Debbie, the hosts at Cosby, are happy to move here for June. That was fast. I hope to be cured of this nasty bug in a few more days and be able to drive without making emergency roadside stops.  We plan to leave on June 6. We are returning next year. I am disappointed, but think it is for the best. We need to spend a little more time with family. Of course, I had planned for THE BOOK to be published in March and to promote it to regional bookstores while we were in the mountains.  That hasn’t happened and isn’t going to happen. I’ll just have to set my sights on next year.

Stay tuned.  We do have some more national park visits planned for later in the summer.