By Tim Binnall
A wondrous video filmed by a trail camera in Vermont shows moths drinking the tears of a moose. The remarkable scene was reportedly captured by a device used in a survey project by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. While examining footage from the trail camera, environmental scientist Laurence Clarfeld did a double-take when he noticed moments when a moose eerily appeared to have two sets of eyes. Looking closer at the scenes, Clarfeld quickly deduced that the weird visual was created by the light-loving insects drinking the sizeable animal's tears. What made the discovery particularly noteworthy was that this was the first time the symbiotic behavior, known as lachryphagy, had been seen involving moths and moose.
Additionally, the practice had previously only been observed in moths and bees in warmer countries, such as Ecuador, Thailand, and Colombia, and had never been reported in North America. It is believed that the insects turn to lachryphagy as a means of acquiring proteins from the animal's tears when the usual source, plant nectar, may not be readily available. Still a largely mysterious phenomenon, it is uncertain if the practice has any impact on the host animal, besides being rather annoying. That said, scientists theorize that it could contribute to eye issues brought about by pathogens left behind by the thirsty insects.