TO LOVE A MOTH

Why is it that we all love a butterfly, but its closest relative, the moth, is often sent packing?  Last year at this time I did a short Blog for National Moth Week- always the last week of July. This year the dates are the  23rd to 31st.

Moths are so often overlooked in our natural world yet do more good than harm.  There are an estimated 11,000 species of moths in the U.S.alone.

Scientists estimate there are 150,000 to more than 500,000 moth species in the world.  They are among the most diverse and successful organisms on earth. 

The furthest distance from which a male moth can smell a female moth is seven miles and the speed of one of the world’s fastest flying insects -the hawkmoth is 33.7 mph.

 Moths  are great pollinators.  Everyone knows bees help keep the circle of life going, but moths do, too! They have long tube-like tongues that are ideal for sipping nectar, and their hairy bodies, evolved to keep them warm in flight, are perfect for picking up pollen grains and moving them around the garden!

 They are also an important food source for many animals: lizards, birds, and even some bears eat moths! Moths are a good indicator of how our environment is doing!  Moth health and their numbers can give important signals about the effects of farming practices, pesticides, air pollution, and climate change on the Earth.

Unlike butterflies, most moths are nocturnal. One species, which is fascinating to watch is the hummingbird moth, which is found in the day, sipping nectar. It gets its name due to its appearance and behavior with a hummingbird or bumblebee.

It is found in a large portion of North America, with a range extending from Alaska to Oregon in the west and from Newfoundland to Florida in the east. 

So next time you want to give a moth the boot (literally). Remember they may be doing more good than harm.  And while their cousins, the butterflies, may for the most part display dazzling colors and cryptic patterns, if you look closely, you can see some pretty amazing  designs in the moth.