I have said farewell to the Poplar Hawk-moth. It became restless towards sunset yesterday and I couldn’t keep in trapped in a box it so evidently wanted out of (and who of us could blame it). After a brief flight about the bathroom it settled once again. I left it there and took the chance to show it to the little girl from next door who is becoming less disturbed and more interested in what I’m doing with my camera. She had her picture taken with the moth which had once more calmed down.
I got worried later in the evening about it staying around for Morrisey to find; I know that these creatures have a limited life span and part of their purpose in life is to provide food for things elsewhere in the food-chain, but I don’t particularly want to watch what my cat does. Cautiously I lured the moth onto a finger in the hope that if I took it to the open window it would fly away in the dark. Not a chance. Those barbs at the end of its legs took a hold and for the rest of the session photographing what came in last night I had to work with a Poplar Hawk-moth attached to one hand. I grew accustomed to the feeling of that grip, and the strange not-quite weightless on my hand, its abdomen pressed against my finger. It probably enjoyed the warmth. As excuses for the quality of my photography it isn’t bad, eh? The photos of the other moths, to follow. For the moment here are the third and final tranche of Poplar Hawk-moth photos:
