Moth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moths |
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Moths are insects of the order Lepidoptera. They are closely related to butterflies, which evolved from them. Most species of moths are active only at night. They can be told apart from butterflies in several ways. Moth antenna look like little feathers, and their wings are held flat on their backs when they are not flying.
Most Lepidoptera are moths. There are thought to be about 160,000 species of moths (nearly ten times the number of species of butterflies). Thousands of species are still to be described. Most moths are tiny: they are called micromoths or microlepidoptera. The larger moths are much better known, but fewer. Most species of moths are nocturnal, but not all. There are crepuscular and diurnal species.
Contents
History
Moths evolved long before butterflies; moth fossils have been found that may be 190 million years old. Both types of Lepidoptera are thought to have co-evolved with flowering plants, mainly because most modern species, both as adults and larvae, feed on flowering plants. One of the earliest known species that is thought to be an ancestor of moths is Archaeolepis mane. Its fossil fragments show scaled wings that are similar to caddisflies in their veining.
Moths as pests
Moths, usually their caterpillars, are a major farm pest in many parts of the world. Caterpillars eat the plants that farmers grow and sometimes kill them. The caterpillar of the spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) causes great harm to forests in the northeast United States. In warm climates, the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) is perhaps the most serious pest of cabbage crops.
Several moths in the family Tineidae have larvae which eat clothes and blankets made from natural fibres, such as wool or silk. They are less likely to eat materials containing some artificial fibres. They may be repelled by the scent of wood from juniper and cedar, by lavender, or by other natural oils.
Chemicals are the most effective way to keep moths away, but there are concerns about the chemicals being dangerous to people.
Silk production
Some moths are farmed. The most important of these is the silkworm. It is farmed for the silk with which it builds its cocoon. The silk industry produces over 130 million kilograms of raw silk, worth about 250 million U.S. dollars, each year. Not all silk is produced by Bombyx mori. There are several species of Saturniidae that also are farmed for their silk, such as the Ailanthus moth (Samia cynthia group of species), the Chinese oak silkmoth (Antheraea pernyi), the Assam silkmoth (Antheraea assamensis), and the Japanese silk moth (Antheraea yamamai).
Attraction to light
Moths will fly around bright objects, and appear to be attracted to light. Most scientists think that this is because moths use the light of the moon to help them fly in a straight line. The light from lamps confuses the moths.
Night-blooming flowers usually depend on moths (or bats) to pollinate them, and artificial lighting can draw moths away from the flowers, hurting the plant's ability to reproduce.
Pollination
Moths usually pollinate night-blooming flowers because they are nocturnal (they rest during the day and come out at night). A moth uses its proboscis to collect nectar just like a butterfly does. However, moths do not always land on the flower to get the nectar: they often hover near the flower and flap their wings hard while they sip the nectar. Because of this, moth-pollinated flowers do not need a landing pad. In fact, some moth-pollinated flowers point downward, like the yucca flowers.
Predators and parasites
Nocturnal insectivores often feed on moths. Many bats, and some species of owls and some other birds eat moths. Moths are also a minor part of the diet of some lizards, cats, dogs, rodents, and some bears. Moth larvae are eaten by many birds, and are also vulnerable to parasitism by ichneumon wasps.
Many adult moths and larvae are protected by noxious substances eaten by the caterpillars. They advertise their foul taste in various ways. Warning colouration is visible by day, and some adult moths emit clicks which bats learn are warning signals.
Baculoviruses are double-stranded DNA viruses which parasitize insects. They are often used as biological control agents. They are members of the Baculoviridae, a family that is restricted to insects.
There is evidence that ultrasound in the range emitted by bats causes flying moths to make evasive manoeuvers because bats eat moths. Ultrasonic frequencies trigger a reflex action in the noctuid moth that cause it to drop a few inches in its flight to evade attack. Tiger moths also emit clicks which foil bats' echolocation.
Noteworthy moths
- Atlas moth (Attacus atlas), one of the largest moths in the world
- Hercules moth (Coscinocera hercules), largest moth in Australia
- White witch moth (Thysania agrippina), the Lepidopteran with the longest wingspan
- Madagascan sunset moth (Chrysiridia rhipheus), considered to be one of the most impressive and beautiful Lepidoptera
- Death's-head hawkmoth (Acherontia spp.), is associated with the supernatural and evil and has been featured in art and movies
- Peppered moth (Biston betularia), the subject of a well-known study in natural selection
- Luna moth (Actias luna)
- Grease moth (Aglossa cuprina), known to have fed on the rendered fat of humans
- Emperor gum moth (Opodiphthera eucalypti)
- Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus)
- Bogong moth (Agrotis infusa), known to have been a food source for southeastern indigenous Australians
- Ornate moth (Utetheisa ornatrix), the subject of numerous behavioral studies regarding sexual selection
Moth species that may cause significant economic damage
- Spongy moth (Lymantria dispar), an invasive species pest of hardwood trees in North America
- Winter moth (Operophtera brumata), an invasive species pest of hardwood trees, cranberry and blueberry in northeastern North America
- Corn earworm or cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa zea), a major agricultural pest
- Indianmeal moth (Plodia interpunctella), a major pest of grain and flour
- Codling moth (Cydia pomonella), a pest mostly of apple, pear and walnut trees
- Light brown apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana), a highly polyphagous pest
- Wax moths (Galleria mellonella, Achroia grisella), pests of bee hives
- Duponchelia fovealis, a new invasive pest of vegetables and ornamental plants in the United States
Gallery
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Diagram of a plume moth from Robert Hooke's Micrographia
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Leaf-shaped moth (Pergesa acteus)
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Giant grey moth (Agrius convolvuli)
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Oleander hawk-moth or army green moth (Daphnis nerii)
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Six-spot burnet moths mating (Zygaena filipendulae)
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Protective silk (or similar material) case (cocoon)
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A caterpillar of death's-head hawkmoth
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Mating pair of Laothoe populi, or poplar hawkmoths, showing two different color variants
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White-lined sphinx moth in Colorado, United States
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Closeup of a common clothes moth
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Giant silk moth (Adelowalkeria tristygma)
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Adult emperor moth (Gonimbrasia belina)
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A moth on a marble floor in Kolkata, India
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Clothes moth, eye
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Female rose-myrtle lappet moth hanging on the wooden door
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A moth on artificial flowers in Kolkata, India
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Basic moth identification features
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Poplar hawk-moth caterpillar (Laothoe populi)
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An adult male pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa). This species is a serious forest pest when in its larval state. Notice the bristle springing from the underside of the hindwing (frenulum) and running forward to be held in a small catch of the forewing, whose function is to link the wings together.
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Assorted moths in the University of Texas Insect Collection
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Other pages
See also
In Spanish: Heterocera para niños
