The Tale of Bruce Nocturne

Discussion in 'The Village Square' started by Droopy, Dec 7, 2021.

  1. Droopy

    Droopy Slug Slaughterer Plants Contributor

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    After we had put away all the Christmas and New Year's stuff this January I bought some colourful cut flowers to cheer the place up. I was arranging the flowers when a small caterpillar fell out of the bouquet. It was dehydrated and limp. I couldn't bear to kill it or put it outside on the tray for the birds to eat so I carried it over to a plant terrarium and supplied it with a few flowers and leaves from the bouquet. I also sprayed some water around inside the terrarium. The plants needed it anyway. It seemed to like its new home. We saw the plants getting holy and the caterpillar growing as the days went by. Then it disappeared and we couldn't see it anywhere inside the terrarium.

    Then suddenly, a few weeks after I accidentally brought the caterpillar home, we had a moth flying in our sitting room. It came as a complete surprise even though it was what we'd hoped for. This was March 2d. We had snow and frost and couldn't just let it outside so we quickly mashed a bit of banana, made some sugar water and squeezed a clementine boat.

    We couldn't find out what sort of moth it was, but this particular specimen was Bruce Nocturne. Bruce after Batman (he is the night), and Nocturne for obvious reasons.

    We placed three food-and-drinks stations across the room and closed all the doors we could close to stop Bruce from flying into another room and get lost. Unfortunately he got lost the next day.

    We searched all over the house but couldn't find him anywhere. At least he got to fly:

    Bruce Nocturne.jpg
     
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  3. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    I don't know what species of moth it is Droopy. What I do know is that you have one of the kindest hearts to take care of it the way you did.
     
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  4. Droopy

    Droopy Slug Slaughterer Plants Contributor

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    Awww, thank you! It was a life and I don't like to kill anything unless it's an unwelcome pest or something I intend to eat. I kill the Iberian slugs and the Japanese lily beetles but they're not supposed to be here so that's different.
     
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  5. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    Great docu, Droopy. I wonder where it went. Better check your clothing in the drawers and closets. Mothballs, Droopy?
     
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  6. Droopy

    Droopy Slug Slaughterer Plants Contributor

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    Thanks. Maybe into a storage box? They were everywhere at that time. He can't be in anybody's closets or drawers since the old ones were torn down a little later. He could also have flown outside because the carpenters were working at that time and didn't always close the door when they went to fetch something.
     
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  7. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    Poor beastie. Fingers crossed. :)
     
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  8. Zigs

    Zigs Young Pine

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    Aww :)
     
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