The Story of the Yucca Moth

I’ve told the story of the yucca moths and the soaptree yuccas many times. I love to tell it when I give talks and I’m not making this up, many years ago on a special International Women’s Day on KXCI, my wife, yes, Ms. Mesquitey, told the yucca moth story on Growing Native. We both think it is one of the most beautiful and magical things that happen around us in the natural world. Yes, it’s part of an extremely long and always lengthening list of wonderful things, but what a great example of how we can’t possibly ever replace our native plants or pollinators…and why would we try. Go native!

The photos are mine and taken here at home of some Yucca elata flowers with a surprise; I was pulling back the flower petals to reveal the flower parts and lo and behold, there was Ms. Tageticula elatella! She’s on a stamen in both photos and was probably just hanging out and waiting for evening. If my hearing were better I probably could have heard her asking me to please lower the petals so she could get some sleep, as she had a long night ahead.