This moth was resting on our back deck this morning. It was just under 6 inches across; I think even bigger than the Luna moth we saw in New Jersey. It is a male polyphemus moth, which is a common kind of giant silk moth. The name comes from Greek mythology; because of the large purple eyespots on the hind wings it was named for the one-eyed giant Polyphemus.
And for those who are wondering how I know it's a male, well thanks to Wikipedia I learned the male has very "plumose" (bushy) antennae, whereas the female does not :-).
The things you learn!
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