Automeris Io moth
Imago resting on the wicker–
I thought him a leaf until he
flickered and showed his true self.
Borning or dying? Two weeks he lives;
Red cherry-stained wings forgive
His dark Instar larval past
when he thieved oak and wild cherry leaves.
Io carries proof of redemption–
the universe on his wings.
the circle of life 
He looks like a 1950s chenille bathrobe.
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Except for the giant eyes 😀
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Those eyes are the universe. I didn’t see it until I read it. Beautiful!
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Thanks! Apparently this is a fairly common moth in the eastern US. But I’d never seen one before and I was mesmerized.
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We have death’s head moths here in the Western US, but I’ve only seen one once. It was on my back door at 1:00 a.m. when I was coming home from a date. VERY scary.
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