National Moth Week is just around the corner

Have you decorated your tree yet? National Moth Week is becoming one of my favorite holidays! Maybe I should send the cards I never get written at Christmastime.

This big moth flew straight at me, then landed. Not wanting to fall down the bank into the muddy, rushing water of Rowlett Creek, this is the only angle I could photograph. I love the dusky, almost purple cast to the wings.

I don't have an ID yet, but it behaved like a Catocala moth in flying at me, and it was big. Two years ago I saw many Catocala moths at Oak Point, but last year I didn't see any.

Back at the car, scraping the mud off my boots, this moth was waiting. Again no ID. I hope it isn't some common pest of North Texas. Has it lost all its scales, or are its wings translucent? If you know the answer, please comment!