Butterfly Photographer Accidentally Captures Evidence of Moth Doing Something 'Unspeakable'

Wildlife photographer Eliot Frame's stunning macro photograph of a painted lady butterfly — which had been shortlisted for the Royal Entomological Society's annual prize — has been quietly withdrawn after judges noticed a luna moth in the background engaged in what one reviewer described as 'an aggressively athletic display of lepidopteran reproduction.' 'The painted lady is in sharp focus in the foreground,' said competition chair Dr. Helena Chitin. 'It's beautiful. Museum quality. But if you look at the bokeh about two inches to the right, there is a luna moth doing something that, while perfectly natural, would receive a content warning on any social media platform.' Frame, who spent six hours lying motionless in a Maryland meadow to capture the image, claims he did not notice the moth during the shoot. 'I was completely focused on the painted lady's proboscis,' Frame said. 'I was tracking it across a milkweed bloom. I had no idea there was a moth back there just... going for it. When I loaded the image on my computer, I thought there was a rendering error.' The photograph has since gained unexpected popularity online, where it has been shared with captions including 'nature is beautiful and also deeply inappropriate' and 'that moth has absolutely no shame.' Frame has resubmitted the image with the background cropped. The luna moth, reached for comment, was unavailable, having apparently moved on to a nearby porch light. The Royal Entomological Society has updated its submission guidelines to include a section on 'incidental reproductive content.'