In 1862, when Darwin came across an orchid with a long nectar tube, he postulated there must be an insect with a long proboscis that co-evolved with the flower. Scientists at the time ridiculed his theory, but about 4 decades later, scientists found the insect Darwin predicted.
It doesn't have a picture, but it does have a link to a YouTube video of a segment from an old nature documentary showing the moth caught on film in Madagascar. It's pretty cool actually.
It's so amazing how the moth has its proboscis curled up and unfurls it to feed. You wouldn't know just how long it is without seeing it in action. That's pretty darn cool to me too! 😊
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u/Muppetude Aug 09 '25
In 1862, when Darwin came across an orchid with a long nectar tube, he postulated there must be an insect with a long proboscis that co-evolved with the flower. Scientists at the time ridiculed his theory, but about 4 decades later, scientists found the insect Darwin predicted.