mobanmarketEVERGREEN PARK, IL — An Evergreen Park man this week made a rare discovery in his backyard near 98th and Washtenaw in the southeast quad of town. A giant moth, possibly an Antheraea polyphemus, was spotted flying around his watermelon garden.
Ricky Castillo was able to take a few photos of the moth, which he originally thought might have been a giant butterfly. He then called an expert on animal life at the Peck Butterfly House in Geneva who told him it was actually a giant moth that is rarely found in Illinois.
Click Here: New Zealand rugby store
“I forgot the name, but they said it’s rare to see one that big in Illinois,” Castillo said.
The moth rested on Castillo’s driveway for a few minutes, giving Patch the chance to take a few more photos. Scroll through the images atop this article to see how big this guy or gal is, and how it sizes up in comparison to a garage door opener, a lighter and human hand.
A Wikipedia page indicates the moth may be an Antheraea polyphemus. Anyone who knows more about what this giant moth is can comment on this story below or email Tim Moran at tim.moran@patch.com.