Sphingidae - in Popular Culture

In Popular Culture

John Linnell, of the rock band They Might Be Giants, reportedly wrote the song "Bee of the Bird of the Moth" (on their album The Else) after he saw a "hummingbird moth", presumably one of the members of this family that resembles a hummingbird.

Edgar Allan Poe includes a sphinx moth in his short story, "The Sphinx". The main character mistakenly thinks that the moth on a window is a huge monster. Much to his surprise, his friend points out that it is in fact very close and not on a hill in the distance.

Read more about this topic:  Sphingidae

Famous quotes containing the words popular culture, popular and/or culture:

    The lowest form of popular culture—lack of information, misinformation, disinformation, and a contempt for the truth or the reality of most people’s lives—has overrun real journalism. Today, ordinary Americans are being stuffed with garbage.
    Carl Bernstein (b. 1944)

    A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy.
    James Madison (1751–1836)

    Both cultures encourage innovation and experimentation, but are likely to reject the innovator if his innovation is not accepted by audiences. High culture experiments that are rejected by audiences in the creator’s lifetime may, however, become classics in another era, whereas popular culture experiments are forgotten if not immediately successful. Even so, in both cultures innovation is rare, although in high culture it is celebrated and in popular culture it is taken for granted.
    Herbert J. Gans (b. 1927)