Zephyr Wing Moths are a species of fieldic insect measuring an average wingspan of 15 centimeters. Capable of magically producing winds that can repel most wayward animals that get too close, these moths have a symbiotic relationship with the Windswept Willow Tree. Living on and protecting these trees, Zephyr Wing Moths are capable of generating winds that provide a challenge to determined Lesserkin which have not learned to respect the moths’ power. While an individual moth might only be capable of generating a barely noticeable gust, even a smaller swarm can easily blow away would-be predators.
The nectar from the windswept willow trees' flowers provide a crucial food source for the moths. Not only are they rich in sugar and other nutrients, but they also contain a protein that allows the moths’ larvae the ability to utilize the Field to improve its growth. When a moth lays eggs, the shells of said eggs contain a modified version of the protein consumed by the egg-laying moth, and when the larvae eat their way out of the shell, they too consume the modified protein. As a result, the larvae are capable of metabolizing the Field immediately.
Generations of moths that grow without access to the windswept willow trees are significantly smaller, and lack the wing strength necessary to live up to their namesake. They still retain their unique proboscis, which has evolved specifically to navigate the unique flowers that grow on the windswept willow trees, so that even if one generation goes without Field-dependent growth, the next still can.
Elderkin have known about the Zephyr Wing Moths, and specifically covet the special silk that they produce, as it has unique properties that keep their potency even after being woven into fabric. Attempts to cultivate the moths have had mixed results. When grown without access to a Windswept Willow, the moths will not produce the same quality of silk. Cultivating a willow outside of the native biome has also proven difficult, with the trees often not growing properly and failing to produce enough of the protein in the nectar.
As a result, most silk harvesters must go into the forests to find these trees and the moths that guard them, hoping to find empty cocoons that have been blown away by the moths themselves. If the harvesters are lucky, they may find a willow covered by the silken strands produced by the Zephyr Wing Moth Larvae, to the extent that the tree itself may be mistaken for a singular, abnormally large cocoon. If the harvesters can withstand the turbulent winds, they can often retrieve a great deal of silk.
Zyphyr Wing Moths were created by InstantNoodles of the World of Tyrrell discord.