DRIPPING WILDLIFE: HUNGRY HAWK MOTH
When Carla Cox's morning glories disappeared virtually overnight, this Dripping Nancy Drew tracked down the culprit. She found the critter and his buddies who were to blame and, after much research, determined them to be Pink Spotted Hawk Moth caterpillars. While blithely munching away at treasured blossoms as caterpillars, moths, particularly giant hawk moths, are actually unsung pollinating heroes. Lacking the sleek and more obvious glamor of butterflies who flit about during the day, moths are creatures of the night, pollinating fragrant, moonlight blossoms. As a point of interest, hawk moths have the world's largest tongues of any moths or butterflies, some up to 14 inches long.
Photographer Carla Cox tracked down the culprit behind her missing morning glories, the Pink Spotted Hawk Moth caterpillar.
Photographer Carla Cox tracked down the culprit behind her missing morning glories, the Pink Spotted Hawk Moth caterpillar.
Posted by DSBabble.com at Sunday, August 08, 2010 8:53 AM 
Categories: dripping wildlife
Tags: pink spotted hawk moth dripping springs texas pink spotted hawkmoth
Categories: dripping wildlife
Tags: pink spotted hawk moth dripping springs texas pink spotted hawkmoth
That is one HUGE caterpillar! I'm going to have to look up the moth now to see how big it is since it can have a 14" tongue! That puts Gene Simmons to shame!
Reply to this
Eureka! Here is a website with a picture of a Pink Spotted Hawk Moth with its tongue extended. Amazing! The picture of its scales is pretty cool too.
Reply to this