I love that orchid, and always enjoy hearing the history behind it.
PBS has a weekly show called Nature. A month or so ago, they played a "best of Nature" special, comprised of mini clips from many of their past shows. One was of a researcher who climbed up into the tree tops and set up in front of a clump of sesquipedale, hoping to film the pollination by the hawk moth. As it turned to night, they switched to night vision on the film (everything was bright black and white) and he continued to wait. It was very hot, and the mosquitoes were having him for dinner. After waiting all night and long into the morning, he finally witnessed it. I think it was now about 4 in the morning, and caught on film was a large hawk moth, unrolling and inserting its long proboscis into flower. It was one of the coolest things ive seen.
Makes me wonder if i can find the clip somewhere on the net. If i can, ill post the link.
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