The Poplar Hawk-moth Pays us a Visit

Poplar Hawk-moth, Laothoe populi

I was just re-reading Edith Wharton's "The House of Mirth" - highly recommended - when I remembered that Hollywood  had made a movie of it starring that lovely actress,Gillian Anderson.   Brilliant casting I thought for Lily Bart.  But I just watched the trailer on Youtube.  Oh dear.  Everything - if I am to go by the trailer -is couched in breathily portentous tones.  Why?   But on the other hand,  and on a different Youtube video, the scene between Lily and Selden isn't bad.  She really is perfect for the part.   But how sad if people only see this movie, and never read the book.

It is still VERY VERY HOT.  No sign of rain.  Poor Jacks cancelled supper on Saturday night, as she was too exhausted by the heat.   A first for her!     Jean and I managed an hour and a half doing return visits on Saturday.

Can't think what else I have done, beyond studying, shopping, FEELING VERY HOT, basic housework, and watching Wimbledon. Both men's semi-finals splendid, and almost endless.

The moths are still checking into to our balcony hotel every night - and one large cloaked character turned up in my bathroom on the night that the Captain was out.   "Don't tell me" I said wearily "Your ship was wrecked on one of the pebbles on our beach, you paddled ashore, and I won't be seeing much of you once the sun has risen."

Poplar Hawk-moth

But no.  He turned out to be a Poplar Hawk-moth, not Count Dracula at all.   He wasn't a He either,  because when Captain B looked at all the photos he had taken once he got back, he found that She had laid her eggs on our lampshade in the Hall!

We now have to find a suitable tree for them - ideally a poplar.   She has entrusted them to us and vanished.  We are now in loco parentis and will have to do our best.

I hope they can learn to fly on their own.