What you are describing is a Luna moth. I absolutely love moths! Luna moths are finally making a comeback to Fairfield County after they were almost completely eradicated in the 1950’s by aerial spraying, which was really meant for the gypsy moth – an invasive pest that can destroy trees. Luna moths have beautiful long tails that are not purely decorative, nor do they help attract a mate. They are used as a sonar shield! Bats are one of the main predators of the Luna moth. Bats use echolocation which allows them to locate their prey by reflected sounds such as the echoes from the moths large flapping wings. A recent study found that the Luna moth spins the tips of its long tails in circles, and this acts as a sonar shield that interferes with the bat’s echolocation!
I saw a baby deer laying in the field by my house, the mother is nowhere in sight! Should I call a rescue?
– Ashley S. Redding, CTI can honestly say this is one the questions I am asked most, especially in the spring. First off, seeing any baby animal alone naturally worries most people. Although there are certainly instances when a baby is truly orphaned, in most cases the baby deer (fawn) is usually not. The moment the fawn is born the mother (doe) eats any afterbirth and membranes and then licks the baby clean inch by inch. This is the first step in taking extensive precautions to prevent predators from detecting the fawn. Over the first few days, the doe intentionally stays away from her fawn, so her body scent does not attract predators to its location. When the doe leaves, she discourages her fawn from following her with a gentle nudge or her voice. The doe returns 8-10 times in a 24-hour period and although you may not see her, she is still tending to her fawn. The fawn will usually remain inactive for up to 4 days while its mom is coming back and forth to nurse. If you see the baby in the field alone after a week, then there may be a problem that could warrant a call to a wildlife rehabber. For now, just be lucky you get to see a fawn in the first few days of life! •
– John M. Ridgefield, CT
This is not a plant; this cool jelly string is American toad eggs. One of my all-time favorite things to do as a child (and still is) was to search for frog eggs. I remember the first time I found toad eggs I was so worried that something was wrong – all the frog eggs I’d ever found were in big clumps of jelly. With some help from my dad, I discovered they were toad eggs! There are two other species of toad that can be found in CT- the Fowler’s toad and the Eastern Spadefoot. Mating season begins in March and can continue through mid-summer. The two strings, one from each ovary contain between 4,000 and 12,000 eggs and if stretched out would measure 20-60 feet long! These eggs will hatch rather quickly in just 3 to 12 days. They develop fast and in about 3 to 6 weeks they will start to develop limbs and lungs. These young adults, or toadlets, will eventually be capable of eating up to 1,000 insects a day! I’m so excited when I see them in my garden because they eat all the unwanted insects.
