Do you see the "snow"? Look closely. Have you ever seen triangular-shaped snowflakes?
Cape Cod has been experiencing a winter snowstorm for about a week. But this is not snow, it's called "winter moth". HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of moths come out every evening. They measure less than one inch. When you drive down the street at night with your headlights on, it looks as through you're driving through a snowstorm! Sadly, these are the moths which were once the larvae that ate all the oak leaves this past spring. Too many repeated years of this, and the oak trees die. When we have this many moths in winter, it means a sad spring the following year for all the oak and other tree leaves these bugs devour. Hopefully we'll have a "cold snap" before they mate this winter. In the meantime, it's snowing moths!
This photo was taken one frigid day this past January. With the weather we've had recently, it could easily have been this week! (Not my dog - but one of a pair that were totally enjoying their run that day. The way they were running in and out of the freezing water made ME shiver!)
Do you see the "snow"? Look closely. Have you ever seen triangular-shaped snowflakes?
Cape Cod has been experiencing a winter snowstorm for about a week. But this is not snow, it's called "winter moth". HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of moths come out every evening. They measure less than one inch. When you drive down the street at night with your headlights on, it looks as through you're driving through a snowstorm! Sadly, these are the moths which were once the larvae that ate all the oak leaves this past spring. Too many repeated years of this, and the oak trees die. When we have this many moths in winter, it means a sad spring the following year for all the oak and other tree leaves these bugs devour. Hopefully we'll have a "cold snap" before they mate this winter. In the meantime, it's snowing moths!
This Cape Cod church photo turned out looking like I had my camera setting on "black and white"! Funny how an overcast day, bare trees, and a white church translate into a non-colorful photo. (This church is undergoing some renovations, thus the black tar paper noticeable on the front.)