Letter from Flight Season
Moth tapestry, an ancient animal, birdwatching humor, and a preview of my next essay about the relegation of nature
Dear Subscriber,
Here in New England, we’re into the “Season of Maximum Flight.” That’s what I call the period from late June into early July, when lots of birds feed fledglings and charismatic insects fly in abundance. I’ve been in the thick of it.
Which is why this solstice letter to paying subscribers is coming to you a bit late. (The Season of Maximum Flight — it’s a legit excuse, right?) Regardless, as gratitude for supporting my work, I bring you those two ornate moths above, a bonus podcast segment about birdwatching, an obscure and ancient animal, some personal news, and a preview of an ambitious essay now in the works about humanity’s estrangement from nature. All of it in only about five minutes of reading because, hey, it’s the Season of Maximum Flight — we’re busy.
Moth Tapestry
Their names alone evoke diversity and whimsy: Pink-shaded Fern Moth (Callopistria mollissima) and Wavy Chestnut Y Moth (Autographa mappa) — photographed (above) on the same night in June here in Vermont. Although only somewhat related, each species has converged on a tapestry of camouflage. Sure, against wooden clapboards, those two moths stand out. Most anywhere else in the wild, they resemble a patch of lichen, a decaying leaf, or some other curly, decomposing vegetation — the stuff predators (and most of us) overlook. Not me. I like looking at these two moths; they make me happy. So do these:
Thank you, my friend. The Wood Thrush song takes me back more than 50 years to the first time I was aware of this magnificent music and, now, yes, not heard as often as it needs to be for a healthy world. Onward in this day.
Those two moths are so beautiful. I love the names of moths. In fact i recently used a selection of random UK moth names as a prompt for a writing group, and everyone loved it.