Mac Stone (USA) unveils an unexpected behaviour by a giant sphinx moth.
Mac spent much of his summer 15 metres up a tree, in the monsoon wind and rain, attempting to get the first-ever picture of a giant sphinx moth drinking nectar from a ghost orchid.
The ghost orchid is found only in the USA's Everglades and in Cuba. This leafless epiphyte, which grows on other plants, has greenish aerial roots that perform photosynthesis. Most bloom infrequently, but luckily for Mac this well-established individual, known as a super ghost, produces blooms regularly.
The giant sphinx moth's feeding tube, known as a proboscis, is so long that it can hover at a distance, siphoning nectar from the flower of the ghost orchid without touching the pollen sacs. This ability to keep its distance might help to keep the moth safe from being ambushed by predators, such as the gecko camouflaged on the left.
USA
Mac strives to tell complex stories of wetlands and wildernesses through images of wildlife and the people who rely on it. He grew up in Florida, USA, and his love of the area comes from exploring its swamps, estuaries, springs and Everglades. He is a National Geographic explorer, a speaker, an author and a Senior Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers.
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