First moth memory

Recently I was reading a book called Last Child in the Woods which is all about getting kids outdoors in nature. The author, Richard Louv, talks a lot about his early childhood memories in nature and how formative those moments were for him. This got me to thinking about my own childhood and I decided to sit down and write some of my memories from childhood that took place in nature and the outdoors.

One of these memories is my first moth memory. I would guess that I was probably in 2nd or 3rd grade at the time, perhaps younger. We had a ping pong table on our back porch that folded up in half when not in use and pushed up against the back wall of our house. One year we were pulling out the table to play on it and I found a large deceased moth (which I now know to be a sphinx) between the two panels of the table. I remember holding it and thinking how alien it looked and realizing I had never seen a live moth of this size flying about. I remember either it's antennae or proboscis being very fascinating.

It would be a lie to say that I was forever a lover of moths from that moment. But I do remember that moment very distinctly, as I do several other moments involving various insects and other creatures I discovered in my backyard. I hope that my own kiddos have very positive memories in nature as they grow older.

What is your first moth memory?

Posted on January 31, 2019 10:33 PM by zdufran