“Nectar nozzle” is a good term David. I had tried for years to get good pictures of these rarely seen moths that seem as fast as a hummingbird. Finally the moth and the camera cooperated. I am mesmorized by these things.
You caught some great moments in these photos, Gary. I think we discussed this before, but is it correct to say these large moths make little sound when they fly? One doesn’t hear the hum, like with a hummingbird.
yes, no sound. And their wing beats per second are a little less than the hummingbird with some quick maneuvering. Hard to think of them as moths without imagining them exploding that soft body.
their tongue can retract fully and extend in various direction. This is where the engineers got their ideas for planes refueling in the air.
All Haiku
All Haiku 
8 replies on “Refueling”
“Nectar nozzle” is a good term David. I had tried for years to get good pictures of these rarely seen moths that seem as fast as a hummingbird. Finally the moth and the camera cooperated. I am mesmorized by these things.
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You caught some great moments in these photos, Gary. I think we discussed this before, but is it correct to say these large moths make little sound when they fly? One doesn’t hear the hum, like with a hummingbird.
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yes, no sound. And their wing beats per second are a little less than the hummingbird with some quick maneuvering. Hard to think of them as moths without imagining them exploding that soft body.
their tongue can retract fully and extend in various direction. This is where the engineers got their ideas for planes refueling in the air.
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That’s what I was thinking: “Looks like a refueling boom.”
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the hummingbird moth
draws life from a petunia
and both lives are fed
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Well done, Majik!
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Purple petunias
A striking moth flaps and drinks
Nature refuels me
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I like it, Betty! Nature refuels me, too.
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