Comments on: precious metals http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2008/07/04/precious-metals/ a place where nature, photography and writing meet Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:48:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: bev http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2008/07/04/precious-metals/comment-page-1/#comment-234380 bev Sun, 26 Jul 2009 11:51:37 +0000 http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2008/07/04/precious-metals/#comment-234380 Scott - The beetle that you found definitely sounds like one of the species of tortoise beetle. There are several with varying amounts of gold and clear areas. The moth you described must be one of the moths that are commonly referred to as hummingbird moths. some of them have areas of the wings which you can see through. I haven't seen any tropical species, but the ones we get up here in Canada are often mistaken for hummingbirds or very large bumblebees. Scott – The beetle that you found definitely sounds like one of the species of tortoise beetle. There are several with varying amounts of gold and clear areas. The moth you described must be one of the moths that are commonly referred to as hummingbird moths. some of them have areas of the wings which you can see through. I haven’t seen any tropical species, but the ones we get up here in Canada are often mistaken for hummingbirds or very large bumblebees.

]]> By: Scott http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2008/07/04/precious-metals/comment-page-1/#comment-234373 Scott Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:00:31 +0000 http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2008/07/04/precious-metals/#comment-234373 Years ago I was swimmming in Texas and I plucked a lady bug size beetle out of the water...It's main feature was a gold equalateral triangle which covered most of the shell--the outer egdes were totally clear..it was gorgeous... I enjoyed meeting him (or her), but have never seen one since even in all the books I could get my hands on. I aslo encountered a moth in my garden in Mexico City that had a body the size of a sparrow, two independent sets of wings, and a see through equalateral triangle on each of the larger sets of wings. I was without film at the time, and gladly let it go...It too I have been unable to find in any databses... Thanks for your site...Shalom, HSH Years ago I was swimmming in Texas and I plucked a lady bug size beetle out of the water…It’s main feature was a gold equalateral triangle which covered most of the shell–the outer egdes were totally clear..it was gorgeous… I enjoyed meeting him (or her), but have never seen one since even in all the books I could get my hands on.

I aslo encountered a moth in my garden in Mexico City that had a body the size of a sparrow, two independent sets of wings, and a see through equalateral triangle on each of the larger sets of wings. I was without film at the time, and gladly let it go…It too I have been unable to find in any databses…

Thanks for your site…Shalom, HSH

]]> By: bev http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2008/07/04/precious-metals/comment-page-1/#comment-232611 bev Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:42:28 +0000 http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2008/07/04/precious-metals/#comment-232611 Hello Edward. Thanks for leaving this note. It's interesting to read that you kept some in captivity for awhile. I've had the experience of them falling to the ground, but do manage to get the odd photo. I have a lot of morning glories, so that's what seems to attract them to my garden. Hello Edward. Thanks for leaving this note. It’s interesting to read that you kept some in captivity for awhile. I’ve had the experience of them falling to the ground, but do manage to get the odd photo. I have a lot of morning glories, so that’s what seems to attract them to my garden.

]]> By: Edward Kimble http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2008/07/04/precious-metals/comment-page-1/#comment-232600 Edward Kimble Tue, 03 Mar 2009 04:29:28 +0000 http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2008/07/04/precious-metals/#comment-232600 I used to keep a fish tank full of these creatures. It was delightful to see them change to drab when my children would try to scare them. The layers of chitin in their wings creates an interference mirror which is altered in its spacing, and hence its color, presumably by hormonal changes. It takes about 3 days to train them that they don't need to change color when you approach. The literature cites a dilute borax solution that can be used to preserve the gold color in death indefinitely. However, my advice is to grow lots of morning glories and yams on your back yard fence and be "vewy, vewy quiet" as you sneak up on them. They also fall to the ground and hide to avoid predators and photographers (unless they are otherwise biologically preoccupied). I used to keep a fish tank full of these creatures. It was delightful to see them change to drab when my children would try to scare them. The layers of chitin in their wings creates an interference mirror which is altered in its spacing, and hence its color, presumably by hormonal changes. It takes about 3 days to train them that they don’t need to change color when you approach.
The literature cites a dilute borax solution that can be used to preserve the gold color in death indefinitely. However, my advice is to grow lots of morning glories and yams on your back yard fence and be “vewy, vewy quiet” as you sneak up on them. They also fall to the ground and hide to avoid predators and photographers (unless they are otherwise biologically preoccupied).

]]>