Darwin’s Moth

Description

Darwin’s orchid: a necklace that tells a story…

When Charles Darwin received a specimen of an orchid, Aeranthus sesquipedalis, with a very long spur from a friend for study, he hypothesized that there existed a moth with an equally (absurdly) long proboscis to pollinate it. None like that had ever been seen. Forty years after Darwin died, the pollinating moth was discovered. Xanthopan morganii praedicta has a 12″ long proboscis, and is a perfect illustration of co-evolution lending support to Darwin’s work.

This elegantly simple silver plate necklace features a diamond shaped silver medallion with an imposed image of Darwin’s orchid, Aeranthus sesquipedalis, on one side, and its pollinating moth, Xanthopan morganii praedicta, on the reverse set in crystal clear resin that will not yellow with age. Though difficult to see, the moth’s proboscis reaches all the way to the opposite corner of the medallion.

Attributions: The gorgeous orchid illustration used here is from “Reichebachia: Orchids Illustrated and Described”. The perfect moth image is by user Esculapio, generously provided through a CC-BY-SA 3.0 license.

Size

• Length: 49.8 cm (19.6 in)
• Not adjustable.
• Pendant length: 4 cm (1.6 in)
• Weight: 9 g