Title: Moths of the Limberlost
Author: Gene Stratton-Porter
Kindle Edition, 97 pages
Published May 17, 2012 (first published 1912)
FTC: Amazon Kindle Free
My Thoughts
I obtained this as part of a reading challenge I'm involved in. The Limberlost Swamp location is only a short distance from my hometown and I have always enjoyed the authors work.
The detailed descriptions she provided are beautiful! She writes, "For a confession must be made that a perforated box is a passport to my good graces anyway." She goes on to explain, "That particular shoe- box had brought me an Actius Lunda, newly emerged, and as yet unable to fly. I held down my finger and it climbed on, and was lifted to the light." I find it intriguing that a woman would trudge 3 miles to bring a specimen for her.
It made me smile and think back to times I watched caterpillars pupate. From childhood, we know that females moths seldom fly until they are done depositing their eggs. Egg shells are mostly transparent so over time you can view the little caterpillars growing within them. The book speaks well of the skin castings and the enormous appetite of a caterpillar.
When young, I had a Hyalophora Cecropia we watched go through the cycle. It would feed on maple leaves and turn into a beautiful giant silk moth with a wingspan over 6 inches. The body was faintly gray with brilliant orange, white and black markings. The author is spot- on when she writes, "The wings are a work of art."
Gene Stratton-Porter used her position to support conservation in the state of Indiana. I thoroughly enjoyed this book which was a free from Amazon for Kindle and I plan to purchase a copy soon,