There are a lot of insect songs out there, but as you may have noticed, the videos that go along with those songs don’t always feature their namesakes. The music video for today’s song however, goes above and beyond, and makes the insect the star of the show!
In fact, because this insect is so heavily featured, get ready to compete for some BioPoints! The first person to correctly identify the family (5 pts) and provide an educated guess on the genus (5 pts) of the insect in question will score some points towards a framed photo from the Biodiversity in Focus library! Also, if you know what species of insect is illustrated on the lead singer at the end of the video, another 5 pts is yours!
I find tattoos fascinating works of art, and there are some pretty spectacular biology tattoos out there! Entomological tattoos however seem to be much scarcer (other than the much loved butterflies which everyone likes). So, if you can provide proof of an entomologically-related tattoo (throw a link in the comments section), I’ll give you 25 Biopts for your dedication!
Let the challenge begin!
This song is available on iTunes – Butterfly Caught – Collected
UPDATE: To get BioPoints for the tattoos, the tattoo needs to be on your body. Googling “bug tattoos” won’t work (2 pts to Don J. for trying it though and making me modify the rules).
It was a sphinx moth (Sphingidae), Eyed Sphinx I think (so genus Smerinthus, had to look this up). No idea what the face tattoo is suppose to be, a death head moth?
I know Vince has an ant and a scarab, and Melanie from ESO has a very nice Monarch…but that’s about it….
Wow, that didn’t take long… full points for the IDs Miles (15pts). Now spread the word and get those people in here to show off their tattoos! 😉
Also, check out HIM’s Wings of a Butterfly
Added to the list, thanks!
My guess at the species is Smerinthus cerisyi. Though hard to be certain without locality data!
Actually that should be S. cerisyi for Nearctic video production and S. ocellata for Palaearctic!
Alright, this is the attention to detail I like to see: 10 pts for dedication! Massive Attack is a UK based band, so I can see them filming in Europe and grabbing a random moth from the lights outside the studio (S. ocellata), but the US filming studios can’t be discounted either (S. cerisyi). The back “tattoo” is of a Death’s-head hawkmoth as Miles pointed out (Acherontia atropos), a moth also found in Europe, lending further evidence for S. ocellata. Biogeography ftw!
Haha well Mel is out of town so I can’t ask for her permission,but I doubt she cares
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v189/166/52/515654835/n515654835_312748_2995.jpg?dl=1
Alright, 25 pts to Mel! Make sure she knows she’s 1/8 of her way to a free photo! Cool tattoo as well!