A surprise at 04.00 this morning.

[Accy cyclist]

One for @Accy .
Went to the loo at 0400, still half asleep and felt 'something' land on my head.......it was this beauty.
View attachment 783661
Its an 'Old Lady' moth.
Wingspan is 65mm so no wonder I felt it

That's too big to not worry about it Dave. It's OK some saying they are part of the butterfly family, but unlike butterflies, or flutterbys as we sometimes teach children to call them, moths don't flutter, they dive bomb you, bouncing off your head, even face which is horrible! I had a shower earlier and thought about opening my kitchen window to get some cool air into my 80+ Fahrenheit flat in this hot weather, but couldn't do as a 'monster' moth was trying to dive bomb the light in my window, hitting the closed window trying to get in!!😱

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

That's too big to not worry about it Dave. It's OK some saying they are part of the butterfly family, but unlike butterflies, or flutterbys as we sometimes teach children to call them, moths don't flutter, they dive bomb you, bouncing off your head, even face which is horrible! I had a shower earlier and thought about opening my kitchen window to get some cool air into my 80+ Fahrenheit flat in this hot weather, but couldn't do as a 'monster' moth was trying to dive bomb the light in my window, hitting the closed window trying to get in!!😱

I am sure that butterflies would behave in exactly the same manner if they flew at night, but as it is, during the day, they get all the light they need.
Besides, some moths fly during the day and some butterflies at night - Had anyone any data on this? 🤔

Furthermore, you do realise that the human body emits, albeit a tiny amount of light (DISCLAIMER if you read below 🤣: not visible to us) so to a moth, you might, quite literally, be 'it', so of course they will fly to you!

Be flattered, not disgusted!

Besides, what harm does it do... Really?

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Besides, they like smells and pheromones and so on, so they are just saying you smell nice*!



* - Unless headbutting is a subtle way of saying "Get some deodorant man!", of course 🤣

 

[Punkawallah]

Not if they decide they WILL eat it

Win-win, really.

 

[AndyRM]

Moths are awesome.

 

[wiggydiggy]

That's too big to not worry about it Dave. It's OK some saying they are part of the butterfly family, but unlike butterflies, or flutterbys as we sometimes teach children to call them, moths don't flutter, they dive bomb you, bouncing off your head, even face which is horrible! I had a shower earlier and thought about opening my kitchen window to get some cool air into my 80+ Fahrenheit flat in this hot weather, but couldn't do as a 'monster' moth was trying to dive bomb the light in my window, hitting the closed window trying to get in!!😱

Look we're all afraid of something daft - I don't like cows for instance - but I'd still walk through a field of them (probably quickly!). Just take it as a compliment they saw you showering and though "I'll have some of that guy!".

 

[cisamcgu]

........

Furthermore, you do realise that the human body emits, albeit a tiny amount of light .....

Could you explain this ? I am mystified as to how it could be true ?

 

[C R]

Could you explain this ? I am mystified as to how it could be true ?

We do emit on the infrared due to temperature, but not any detectable amount on the visible.

Edited to add. Any object at a given temperature emits light over a broad band, with a peak that depends only on its temperature, like this

As you can see, things need to be quite hot to emit visible light. A human body has a temperature of about 310K, so practically all light emitted is on the infrared. The graph is from the wiki article on blackbody radiation.

 

[cisamcgu]

Thanks for that. I was aware we emitted heat all the time, it was the claim that we also emitted visible light that was surprising

Cheers !

 

[wiggydiggy]

Could you explain this ? I am mystified as to how it could be true ?

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I never once said 'visible' (to us) 🤦‍♂️

... Well, ok, I have added the disclaimer now. 🤣

 

[C R]

I never once said 'visible' (to us) 🤦‍♂️

I suppose it is one of those things with the meaning of words depending on the field/context. In physics "light" covers a lot more than the 450 to 800 nm range which many people think of when hearing the word.

Also, what is "visible light" to humans covers a different range to what is visible to a moth.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Look we're all afraid of something daft - I don't like cows for instance - but I'd still walk through a field of them (probably quickly!). Just take it as a compliment they saw you showering and though "I'll have some of that guy!".

I have my thing about buttons, but I still work in a charity shop where I have to deal with shirts and so on.
☺️🤣

It's all daft and letting these things control you is nothing short of self indulgence and should be knocked out of you.

Thanks for that. I was aware we emitted heat all the time, it was the claim that we also emitted visible light that was surprising

Cheers !

Visible?

I have added the disclaimer now, but... 🤔

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Win-win, really.

Only if it teaches the little twerps to leave them well alone in future.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Also, I have a thing about Jellyfish, but I'd still swim in the sea.