Forgive me one last visit to France but I had forgotten this lucky picture of a Bee Hawk moth outside our bedroom window in Tarn. Given the number of blurred shots I have taken of the very similar but more common Hummingbird Hawk, it is something of a miracle that everything fell into focus this time.
I would quite like to have a proboscis, to whip out and then reel back in with the best of the nibbles at social functions. Moths and butterflies use them greedily and sometimes appear to enter a sort of trance when sipping nectar, especially on honey-scented trusses of buddleia flowers. Here's another avid French feeder, a Large Skipper, which allowed me close enough to portray his (or her) eager tongue. All quite human, really.
3 comments:
Bee hawk-moth picture is superb. What a beautiful insect. Never seen one. Jealous!
all the best,
Phil
two of my favourite moths in one post!
Hi there both. I'm very honoured Phil. It was entirely luck. They are very handsome moths; lovely colouring. I often think that fashion designers must study moths - secretly cos I don't think I've ever seen them acknowledged in the excessive number of articles which the Guardian carries on the subject...
Glad to oblige, worm. Strictly the Large Skipper is a butterfly but it's much more like a moth. Just as some micros are a great deal bigger than macros. I blame Linnaeus.
All warmest wishes, M
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