Last time we met, I introduced you to the Flicker’s tongue.  This time I’d like to stick another tongue out at you – a much longer tongue on a much smaller critter. In this case, the tongue in question is found on a type of moth called a Laurel Sphinx.

  Although endowed with some wonderfully cryptic coloration meant to blend into a barky background, this individual stood out like a sore thumb against the pale siding shingles of my house. I decided to pluck the thing off its moorings, as a favor, mind you. I figured it was better for her to have a temporary inconvenience caused by a curious non-predator than a permanent ending caused by a real predator.

  This species of moth is relatively un-common in our neck of the woods. It was nice to get an opportunity to “collect” one via the magic of digital photography (see above).  As a group, sphinxes are sleek winged flyers that get their name from their distinctive larvae. The caterpillars are better known as horn worms (because of the pokey appendage sticking out of their hind ends). When frightened, they pull up the front half of their body and look for all the world like Egyptian sphinxes.

  All Sphinx moths are endowed with long hollow tongues that enable them to sip nectar from deep tubular flowers. The larger sphinxes, such as the Laurel, can imbibe from deeper flowers such as the Trumpet Vine.  Inch for inch, their tongue is one of the longest in nature. It extends out several inches when uncoiled – this equals the length of their body. Now that’s a tongue!  I inserted a stick into the center of the tongue coil and un-rolled it as far as the creature would allow (see here).

  Once I finished with the tongue examination I held the large moth in my hand and let it prepare for take off.  It revved up it’s engines and trembled all over as a means to warm up its flight muscles (see here). After a few minutes it was ready to go. Given the nature of this discussion, I should say that it was off in a lick (sorry, I had to say that).