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Isa’s nature journal and musings.

Slick Super Bloom

In light of World Poetry Day, I crafted a haiku about the white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata). It is commonly found in the the south west of the United States of America.

 

The highway is slick;
Caterpillar guts spread thick.
Super Bloom Season


 

The White-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) Photograph by Rumaan Malhotra, Posted with permission.

The White-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata
Photograph by Rumaan Malhotra, Posted with permission.


Behind the poem....

I received this photograph from Rumaan, who is currently in California. There is a wildflower super bloom occurring in the south west USA deserts this year and he said that he has been seeing these caterpillars everywhere!


Apparently, white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) caterpillars are sometimes so numerous that roads are closed because the caterpillar guts make the roads dangerously slippery! I bet that with the super bloom, this is one of those years...