A display of all the superb creatures found at Escuela Bella Vista in Maracaibo Venezuela, (and previously where I taught at the American international school of Maputo Mozambique). At least once a week a child brings me some arthropod or other creature to identify, play with or admire. This blog seeks to honor those avid inquirers. Unlike the Lorax who spoke for the trees, Ispeakforthefleas! Enjoy.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Euchloron (Hawkmoth) Welcomes you back to school
The Verdant hawk moth (Euchloron megaera)
Verdant is a lovely word, it speaks of forested hills with lush,
dripping vegetation. An oasis, the kind of landscape that I return to in my
thoughts. Madagascar was the first place I saw this flying green leaf, which is
unusual, seeing that it is much more common in Mozambique. Think of the stamina
that it took to cross 4-500 km of unrelenting ocean to the red island, and you
gain some respect for the ability of this tiny green creature to somehow
endure, and make the crossing.
This emerald hawk moth employs three different strategies to
keep it off the lunch menu of the ravenous birds, spiders, and other predators
in Africa.
Firstly it vanishes when sitting on a patch of foliage, secondly
it may flash its orange and black hind wings in a display called warning color
or aposematism. This may be enough to deter a pursuing bird, and finally, when
in flight it may suddenly fold its wings making the orange disappear
instantaneously and confusing the predator altogether.
We live with these jewels all around us, ( I see at least one a
month in summer) lets stop and admire the foliage, there may be more present
than at first meets the eye.
Len
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