What I Found Doing Laundry...

The other night, we were enjoying the fresh evening air with the terrace doors wide open, when suddenly, a large moth flew in and scared the **** out of Larry and Nicole.  Without a butterfly net to catch it, Larry trapped it in the laundry room.  We promptly forgot all about it.

This morning, I collected the towels and dirty laundry and began sorting whites from colors. (Note: I never did this at home. For some reason, I find myself sorting here.)  As I reached for the bottle of detergent, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the moth, perched on the side of the bottle, wings vibrating slightly.  I confess myself startled.

After flicking the moth into the sink and putting a plastic bag over it to keep it contained, I poured the detergent and started the laundry.  I went to get 2 plastic cups with the hope of capturing the moth and throwing it outside.  It did not fit into the cup!  The wingspan must have been about 7.62 centimeters (3 inches to us Americans).  It started fluttering around the room. 

I quickly called my husband (who is vacuuming - also something not generally seen in the US) who decided that quick, decisive action was called for. He sucked it up into the vacuum!

Before all the fluttering, cup catching, and vacuuming, however, I had the presence of mind to take a picture of it:

Isn't it pretty?  I assume it's a moth and not a butterfly since it flew into the house at night.  Maybe some insect lover out there can shed some light?

*** UPDATE ON THE MOTH: It's a Granny's Cloak Moth.

Anyway, I'm sure it won't be the last buggy thing I find around the house, and I'm grateful that my first insect adventure was so mild.