moth

Description:

about 2" wingspan, antennae appear to be tucked away

Habitat:

flooded forest, amazon

Notes:

I spotted this moth on a tree sticking out of the water as we paddled through flooded forest. There were four of us in the canoe with the guides at the front and back and my friend and I in the middle. I was looking ahead and saw this moth on the tree, just above the water. I said to my guide that I thought I saw something up ahead on the tree. He didn't think so, he thought it was nothing much or a leaf, but that didn't change my mind. I was confident I was right and when we got close, my guide saw that it was the moth and agreed with me. I found that a lot of Colombians call all butterflies and moths - just butterflies or 'mariposa' in spanish. The spanish word for moth - 'polilla', isn't commonly used or well known. At least in my experience there.