June 2020 Photo-observation of the Month

Newly eclosed Cecropia Moth found and photographed by Charlotte Bill. Click on the image to see more at the Vermont Atlas of Life on iNaturalist.

Congratulation to Charlotte Bill for winning the June 2020 Photo-observation of the Month. Charlotte discovered the cocoon on April 28 and was fortunate enough to see the Cecropia Moth emerged on June 5th.

With more than 21,000 photo-observations submitted by 1,505 observers this month, it was extremely competitive. Click on the image to see and explore all of the amazing photo-observations.

This richly colored, nocturnal beauty is North America’s largest silkmoth. Zadock Thompson, Vermont’s first naturalist, described this species in Vermont as a “butterfly” when he found a cocoon in March 1840 in a “pine plain” in Burlington and watched it eclose in captivity. Females release an airborne pheromone that is capable of attracting males from miles away. Mating occurs during the early morning hours after midnight. Females lay rows of 2-6 eggs on both sides of the leaves of small host trees or shrubs. Eggs hatch in 10-14 days. Young caterpillars feed in groups on leaves; older caterpillars are solitary. The cocoon is attached along its full length to a twig; to escape predation by rodents and birds, the cocoon is usually constructed in a dark, protected area.

Visit the Vermont Atlas of Life on iNaturalist where you can vote for the winner this month by clicking the ‘fav’ star on your favorite photo-observation. Make sure you get outdoors and record the biodiversity around you, then submit your discoveries and you could be a winner!