Fancy Bug Time! Meet Hemaris Thysbe!

Meet Hemaris thysbe, the hummingbird clearwing moth.

I decided to check out a stand of bright red monarda I know of, over on Stonerow. In summertime, it attracts the fancy bugs. So I went there, and a fancy bug was indeed waiting for me, feasting on the monarda.

Say hello to Hemaris thysbe, the hummingbird clearwing. I typically only see them on the hottest days of the year. They are very fast and very spastic in their motions, so it is difficult to photograph them.

This fancy bug is wearing maroon on the bottom and army green on the top. It almost appears to be sporting a little mask. Its wings are shiny and clear, like maroon cellophane.

Do you see that maroon blur? This creature can beat its wings up to 85 times per second (in comparison, the hummingbird beats its wings 60 times per second). The moth sucks nectar up through its proboscis.

A half-dozen shots were the sum total of photos I got of this fancy bug. Then it turned, and it buzzed me, like a tiny airplane lifting off right over my head, and it was gone. In seconds, a hummingbird came by and took over snacking on the monarda. In short, if you want to attract pollinators, plant monarda!

I need a soundtrack song, and I'm selecting one from Live Aid, which took place on this date in 1985. Live Aid was a benefit concert held primarily at Wembley in the U.K., and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, with satellite link-ups in many other countries. It was estimated that 1.9 billion people in 150 countries watched the live broadcast, as much as 40% of the world's population at the time! It was fantastic! 

The only singer to perform live at both Wembley and JFK venues was Phil Collins, who flew between the two performances using a helicopter and the Concorde. I've selected his song, In the Air Tonight, performed in Philly. For more Live Aid fun, just look up Live Aid performances on YouTube. There are many, and you will NOT be disappointed! (Except for the Led Zep reunion; you can skip that part, as everybody agrees it was a disaster.)