{{Short description|Group of mostly-nocturnal insects in the order Lepidoptera}} {{other uses}} {{Use British English |date=March 2026}} {{Use dmy dates |date=March 2026}} {{pp|small=yes}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = Moths | fossil_range = Early Jurassic–Present, {{fossilrange|200|0|earliest=236}} Possible Late Triassic records | image = Autographa gamma en Trachelospermum jasminoides - 02.jpg | image_caption = ''Autographa gamma'' | image2 = Arctia caja 525.jpg | image2_caption = Arctia caja | taxon = Lepidoptera | authority = Latreille, 1802 | subdivision_ranks = Major divisions | subdivision = Aglossata
Zeugloptera | synonyms = Heterocera }}'''Moths''' are a group of winged insect of the order Lepidoptera, the other well-known members of which are butterflies, they are characterized by dark or dull patterned wings.<ref name=Heppner>{{cite book|last1=Heppner |first1=J.B. |year=2008 |chapter=Moths (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) |editor-last=Capinera |editor-first=J.L. |title=Encyclopedia of Entomology |pages=2491–2494 |publisher=Springer, Dordrecht |doi=10.1007/978-1-4020-6359-6_4705|isbn=978-1-4020-6242-1}}</ref> They were previously classified as suborder '''Heterocera''', but the group is paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (suborder Rhopalocera) and neither subordinate taxon is used in modern classifications. Moths make up the vast majority of the order. There are approximately 160,000 species of moth,<ref>{{cite web | title=Moths | work=Smithsonian Institution | url=http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmnh/buginfo/moths.htm | access-date=12 January 2012 | archive-date=2 July 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702164937/https://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmnh/buginfo/moths.htm | url-status=live}}</ref> many of which have yet to be described. Most species of moth are nocturnal, although there are also crepuscular and diurnal species.
Moths have a multi-stage life cycle, and undergo metamorphosis. Winged adults generally lay eggs on or near plant foliage on which their larvae, known as caterpillars, will feed. Although most feed on plant matter, some species such as Eupithecia orichloris are carnivorous insectivores.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Montgomery |first=Steven L. |date=1983 |title=Carnivorous caterpillars: the behavior, biogeography and conservation of Eupithecia (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in the Hawaiian Islands" |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41143203 |journal=Biogeography an Plate Tectonics in the Pacific |volume=7 |pages=549-556}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bassi |first=Margherita |title=Researchers Discover a Rare, Carnivorous Caterpillar That Wears Dead Insect Parts to Fool Spiders |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discover-a-rare-carnivorous-caterpillar-that-wears-dead-insect-parts-to-fool-spiders-180986506/ |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=Smithsonian Magazine}}</ref> The caterpillars grow, sometimes very rapidly, and when fully developed will pupate, often after constructing a cocoon from silk. When metamorphosis is complete, the pupal skin splits, the adult insect climbs out and slowly expands its wings to dry and harden, before flying off.
Moths are commonly thought to eat clothes and fabrics, however it is only their larvae, caterpillars, which may consume natural fibres.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Majerus|first=Michael|title=Moths|publisher=Collins|year=2002|isbn=978-0-00-220141-4|edition=1st|pages=}}</ref>{{Reference page|page=|pages=1-3}}
Moths are very widely distributed across diverse terrestrial habitats and are found on all continents except Antarctica.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Capinera|first=John L|title=Encyclopedia of Entomology|year=2004|isbn=978-1-4020-6242-1|page=2493}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Moth ecology|url=https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/why-moths-matter/what-are-moths/moth-ecology|access-date=2026-03-22|website=butterfly-conservation.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Butterflies and moths {{!}} Zoology {{!}} Research Starters {{!}} EBSCO Research |url=https://www.ebsco.com/ |access-date=2026-03-22 |website=EBSCO |archive-date=2 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260102170222/https://www.ebsco.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Etymology == The modern English word ''moth'' comes from Old English {{lang|ang|moððe}} (cf. Northumbrian {{lang|ang|mohðe}}) from Common Germanic (compare Old Norse {{lang|non|motti}}, Dutch {{lang|nl|mot}}, and German {{lang|de|Motte}} all meaning 'moth'). Its origins are possibly related to the Old English {{lang|ang|maða}} meaning 'maggot' or from the root of ''midge'' which until the 16th century was used mostly to indicate the larva, usually in reference to devouring clothes.
== Taxonomy == thumb|Basic moth identification features{{Main|Taxonomy of the Lepidoptera}}
Among the Lepidoptera, moths comprise about 90% (remaining 10% being butterflies). There are around 160,000 described species.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Moths {{!}} Smithsonian Institution|url=https://www.si.edu/spotlight/buginfo/moths|access-date=2026-03-22|website=www.si.edu|archive-date=2 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702164937/https://www.si.edu/spotlight/buginfo/moths|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Erik J. Van Nieukerken|title=Order Lepidoptera Linnaeus, 1758. In: Zhang, Z.-Q. (Ed.) Animal biodiversity: An outline of higher-level classification and sur|url=https://scholar.googleusercontent.com/scholar?q=cache:vw9Z5wS9JGsJ:scholar.google.com/&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5|access-date=2026-03-22|website=scholar.googleusercontent.com}}</ref> There is estimated to be tens of thousands of unidentified species, especially from tropical regions. The name Heterocera is no longer used in modern classification, however the name is often used to refer to moths; as Rhopalocera is like-wise used as the name for butterflies.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Capinera|first=John L|title=Encyclopedia of Entomology|year=2004|isbn=978-1-4020-6242-1|page=2493}}</ref>
Among the 125 known families, moths make up 118 of the Lepidoptera families, comprising all but the seven butterfly families.<ref name=":0" />{{Update inline|date=March 2026|reason=May need update (based off 2002 source)}}
While there are 160,000 species described currently, the total number is estimated to be around 500,000. On average, over 1,000 species of Lepidoptera is described annually in recent years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=(PDF) Lepidoptera phylogeny and systematics: The state of inventorying moth and butterfly diversity |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/253383803_Lepidoptera_phylogeny_and_systematics_The_state_of_inventorying_moth_and_butterfly_diversity |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230729230901/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/253383803_Lepidoptera_phylogeny_and_systematics_The_state_of_inventorying_moth_and_butterfly_diversity |archive-date=29 July 2023 |access-date=2026-03-22 |website=ResearchGate |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Mosher |first=Edna |title=Classification of Lepidoptera |publisher=Kessinger Publishing |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-164-51964-5}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=March 2026|reason=May need update (based off 2006/2010 source)}}
Some of the largest moth families include Erebidae, Noctuidae, Geometroidea, and Pyralidae.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hobern |first=Donald |date=2014-02-16 |title=Moth identification: miscellaneous notes |url=https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/dhobern/2318-moth-identification-miscellaneous-notes |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=iNaturalist}}</ref><ref name=":03" />
== Differences between butterflies and moths== {{Main|Comparison of butterflies and moths}}
While the butterflies form a monophyletic group, the moths, comprising the rest of the Lepidoptera, do not. Many attempts have been made to group the superfamilies of the Lepidoptera into natural groups, most of which fail because one of the two groups is not monophyletic: Microlepidoptera and Macrolepidoptera, Heterocera and Rhopalocera, Jugatae and Frenatae, Monotrysia, and Ditrysia.<ref name="scoble">Scoble, MJ 1995. The Lepidoptera: Form, function and diversity. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press; 404 p.</ref>
Although the rules for distinguishing moths from butterflies are not well established, one very good guiding principle is that butterflies have thin antennae and (with the exception of the family Hedylidae) have small balls or clubs at the end of their antennae. Moth antennae are usually feathery with no ball on the end. The divisions are named by this principle: "club-antennae" (Rhopalocera) or "varied-antennae" (Heterocera). Lepidoptera first evolved during the Carboniferous period, but only evolved their characteristic proboscis alongside the rise of angiosperms in the Cretaceous period.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Kawahara|first1=Akito Y.|author-link= Akito Y. Kawahara|last2=Plotkin|first2=David|last3=Espeland|first3=Marianne|last4=Meusemann|first4=Karen|last5=Toussaint|first5=Emmanuel F. A.|last6=Donath|first6=Alexander|last7=Gimnich|first7=France|last8=Frandsen|first8=Paul B.|last9=Zwick|first9=Andreas|last10=Reis|first10=Mario dos|last11=Barber|first11=Jesse R.|date=5 November 2019|title=Phylogenomics reveals the evolutionary timing and pattern of butterflies and moths|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|volume=116|issue=45|pages=22657–22663|doi=10.1073/pnas.1907847116|issn=0027-8424|pmc=6842621|pmid=31636187|bibcode=2019PNAS..11622657K |doi-access=free}}</ref>
Moths also tend to have far more hair-like scales than butterflies.<ref name=":03">{{Cite book |last=Capinera|first=John L|title=Encyclopedia of Entomology|year=2004|isbn=978-1-4020-6242-1|page=2493}}</ref>
Moths are usually nocturnal flyers in contrast to butterflies which fly by day, however there are many exceptions such as the Cinnabar moth.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Majerus |first=Michael |title=Moths |publisher=Collins |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-00-220141-4 |edition=1st}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Trust |first=Woodland |date=2021-04-23 |title=11 Day-flying Moths: UK Identification Guide |url=https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2021/04/day-flying-moth-identification/ |access-date=2026-03-21 |website=Woodland Trust}}</ref>
== Life cycle and description == {{See also|Lepidoptera#Reproduction_and_development}} Being oviparous, moth larva hatch as eggs. Female moths will usually nurture the eggs with a layer of nutrients, sometimes providing a protective chemical layer, or covering with urticating hairs (such as in Lymantriinae). Eggs vary in shape and size, some being very elongated, and in colour, some being well camouflaged, others being brightly coloured to indicate a chemical defence (aposematism).<ref name=":1" />
=== Caterpillar === [[File:Spilosoma canescens caterpillar.jpg|left|thumb|Ardices canescens, eating a leaf]] Moth larvae, or caterpillars, are the first life stage after emergence from the egg. During emergence from the egg larva will consume the egg shell. Larvae have sclerotized heads, and mouthparts adapted for chewing. They have very short antennae and stemmata, mainly used for food detection. They possess a spinneret for producing silk. The larval stage varies in duration depending on temperature and food availability, but usually takes from four to eight weeks, sometimes as short as two weeks. Species which enter diapause during the winter may take up to 10 months, some species may take years. Larvae have three pairs of thoracic legs, and multiple proleg with gripping hooks called crochets, and will walk in order to reach a suitable spot for pupation, and to reach food.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Caterpillars |url=https://www.naturespot.org/gallery/caterpillars |access-date=2026-03-22 |website=Nature Spot}}</ref><ref name=":1" />{{Reference page|page=242}}<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Matsuoka |first=Yuji |last2=Murugesan |first2=Suriya Narayanan |last3=Prakash |first3=Anupama |last4=Monteiro |first4=Antónia |date=2023-10-12 |title=Lepidopteran prolegs are novel traits, not leg homologs |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.add9389 |journal=Science Advances |volume=9 |issue=41 |article-number=eadd9389 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.add9389 |pmc=10569709 |pmid=37824626}}</ref>
The larval stage is the main feeding stage, where the larva will in most species consume plant matter.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trust |first=Woodland |date=2019-01-07 |title=What do caterpillars eat? |url=https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/07/what-do-caterpillars-eat/ |access-date=2026-03-22 |website=Woodland Trust}}</ref>
At the end of their life stage, caterpillars will seek out a location to enter the pupal stage. Usually this will be underground, or beneath plant debris. Most species are quite specific around where they will choose to pupate. Some species will pupate without constructing a cocoon, others will construct a cocoon from silk, often also incorporating plant debris, such as ''Cerura vinula'' which may incorporate pieces of chewed bark into the silk cocoon.<ref>{{Cite book | last = Darby | first = Gene | title = What is a Butterfly | publisher = Benefic Press | location = Chicago | year = 1958 | page = 41}}</ref><ref name=":1" />{{Reference page|page=50}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Puss moth |url=https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/puss-moth |access-date=2026-03-22 |website=butterfly-conservation.org}}</ref> [[File:Curoba sangarida Moth 15 Pupa (2015.11.13).jpg|thumb|''Curoba sangarida'' pupa]]
=== Pupa === During the pupal stage, the pupa will undergo metamorphosis and will be immobile for the duration of the life stage. The outer shell of the Pupa is sclerotised, and usually shiny and smooth.<ref name=":03" /> At the end of this life stage, the pupa will emerge usually at specific times of the day, for instance in night flying moths usually late afternoon, in day flying usually early morning. To break free from the cocoon some species may secrete potassium hydroxide from their mouth to weaken the silk.<ref name=":1" />{{Reference page|page=53}}
=== Adult === The adult stage of the moth is primarily for reproduction and for dispersing from the location of pupation. Emerged moths will spend a few hours opening its wings for the first time, and allowing them to dry and harden. Usually emergence is specific to a certain time of the day, in night flying moths late afternoon, in day flying early morning. Moth wings are made of small overlapping scales. While providing insulation, the scales are also responsible for enabling the varied patterns seen on moths, each scale having a different pigment to make up the overall visible pattern. Moth scales can vary greatly in shape between families, from Filamentous and hairlike to club or paddle shaped.<ref name=":1" />{{Reference page|page=66}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Scoble|title=Section Scales|year=1995|pages=63-66}}</ref>[[File:Grey Dagger (Acronicta psi) - head and proboscis - geograph.org.uk - 3565409.jpg|thumb|Grey dagger, extruding proboscis from mouth]] Almost all adult moths have a distinct coiled proboscis used to pull in fluids such as plant sap or water, and in many species is used to feed on flower nectar.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Reinwald |first=Caroline |last2=Bauder |first2=Julia A.-S. |last3=Karolyi |first3=Florian |last4=Neulinger |first4=Michael |last5=Jaros |first5=Sarah |last6=Metscher |first6=Brian |last7=Krenn |first7=Harald W. |date=2022 |title=Evolutionary functional morphology of the proboscis and feeding apparatus of hawk moths (Sphingidae: Lepidoptera) |url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9825987/ |journal=Journal of Morphology |volume=283 |issue=11 |pages=1390–1410 |doi=10.1002/jmor.21510 |issn=1097-4687 |pmc=9825987 |pmid=36059242}}</ref> Adult moths have two large compound eyes, which can each range from 200 to 27,000 facets. most adult moths also possess ocelli, above their compound eyes; likely for orientation purposes.<ref name=":1" /> Moths have two sensory antennae, which take a branch like shape and have no bulge on the end but taper to a point.<ref name="Resh and Carde">{{cite book |last=Resh |first=Vincent H. |title=Encyclopedia of Insects |author2=Ring T. Carde |date=1 July 2009 |publisher=Academic Press |isbn=978-0-12-374144-8 |edition=2 |location=U. S. A.}}</ref>{{Rp|559–560}}
Moths are able to produce sound for communication in a variety of ways, some species possessing tymbal organs, for the purpose of warning others to the presence of predators such as bats. Moths possess excellent hearing, from organs usually located on their abdomen, and can detect the sound of bats' wings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mystery of Moths' Warning Sound |url=https://www.icr.org/content/mystery-moths-warning-sound |access-date=2026-03-22 |website=The Institute for Creation Research}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=soundplanning |date=2019-05-23 |title=The Moth: Ultrasonic Hearing |url=https://www.soundplanning.co.uk/blog/the-moth-ultrasonic-hearing/ |access-date=2026-03-22 |website=Sound Planning}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Barber |first=Jesse R. |last2=Plotkin |first2=David |last3=Rubin |first3=Juliette J. |last4=Homziak |first4=Nicholas T. |last5=Leavell |first5=Brian C. |last6=Houlihan |first6=Peter R. |last7=Miner |first7=Krystie A. |last8=Breinholt |first8=Jesse W. |last9=Quirk-Royal |first9=Brandt |last10=Padrón |first10=Pablo Sebastián |last11=Nunez |first11=Matias |last12=Kawahara |first12=Akito Y. |date=2022-06-21 |title=Anti-bat ultrasound production in moths is globally and phylogenetically widespread |url=https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2117485119 |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |volume=119 |issue=25 |article-number=e2117485119 |doi=10.1073/pnas.2117485119 |pmc=9231501 |pmid=35704762}}</ref>
Moths use their dark and varied colouration which may resemble bark, stones, or dead leaves, for camouflage, avoiding the detection of predators. This is often in contrast to the caterpillar stage, which are often green to resemble the leaves which they must feed from.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Ford |first=E.B. |title=Moths |year=1955 |isbn=978-0-00-730821-7 |page=91}}</ref>
Females utilise pheromones to attract males of same species, remaining stationary while males locate them. Male moths have extremely acute capacity to detect scent, and can reliably track a female who is releasing pheromones up to a kilometre away, due to their highly sensitive antennae.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Physicists Solve Longstanding Puzzle of How Moths Find Distant Mates |url=https://today.ucsd.edu/story/physicists_solve_longstanding_puzzle_of_how_moths_find_distant_mates |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=today.ucsd.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stengl |first=Monika |date=2010 |title=Pheromone transduction in moths |journal=Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience |volume=4 |page=133 |doi=10.3389/fncel.2010.00133 |doi-access=free|issn=1662-5102 |pmc=3018772 |pmid=21228914}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Vogt |first=R. G. |last2=Riddiford |first2=L. M. |date=1981-09-10 |title=Pheromone binding and inactivation by moth antennae |journal=Nature |volume=293 |issue=5828 |pages=161–163 |doi=10.1038/293161a0 |issn=0028-0836 |pmid=18074618}}</ref> Since moths are usually quite dispersed, scent is more reliable a means of mate attraction than sound as is seen in many other insects.<ref name="scoble" />
Some of the largest known moths can be found in the family Saturniidae, among which ''Attacus atlas'' of Southeast Asia attains a wingspan of up to 300 mm.<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Attacus atlas''|url=https://www.cambridgebutterfly.com/attacus-atlas/|access-date=2026-03-22|website=Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory}}</ref> The smallest moths have wing-spans as small as 2.5 mm, such as Nepticulidae. The average among all moths is around 25 mm.<ref name=":03" />
==Evolution== {{Expand section|date=March 2026}}[[File:Moth September 2008-3.jpg|thumb|200px|''Thaumetopoea pityocampa''. 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.]]{{See also|Lepidoptera#Evolution_and_systematics}}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.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hoyt |first=Cathryn |work=Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center |url=http://cdri.org/publications/nature-notes/evolution-ecology/evolution-of-moths-and-butterflies/ |title=Evolution of Moths and Butterflies |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106184057/http://cdri.org/publications/nature-notes/evolution-ecology/evolution-of-moths-and-butterflies/ |archive-date=6 January 2014 |quote=Studying the evolution of butterflies and moths is challenging, since fossils are so rare. But the few Lepidopteran fossils that exist, captured in amber or compressed in fine-grained rocks, show an astonishing amount of detail. The earliest Lepidopteran fossils appear in rocks that are about 190 million years old. These tiny fragments of scaled wings and bodies clearly indicate that moths evolved before butterflies.}}</ref>
=== Industrial melanism in modern moths === A phenomenon associated with human industrialisation has been observed in species such as the peppered moth, in which the occurrence of individuals which are darker than the typical form have increased in number.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-06-01 |title=Famous peppered moth's dark secret revealed |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36424768 |access-date=2026-03-23 |work=BBC News}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> Increases of melanism in moths was first observed in the mid nineteenth century in Britain, and was associated with industrialized areas of the country where tree trunks were blackened with soot from coal burning. The phenomenon has been widely described as a classical example of natural selection, in which the darker moths gained better camouflage against the blackened tree bark, and therefore had a higher rate of survival and subsequently reproductive success.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rudge |first=David |date=2005 |title=The Beauty of Kettlewell's Classic Experimental Demonstration of Natural Selection |url=https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article-abstract/55/4/369/270587?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false |journal=BioScience |volume=55}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Cook |first=L. M. |last2=Saccheri |first2=I. J. |date=2013 |title=The peppered moth and industrial melanism: evolution of a natural selection case study |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/hdy201292 |journal=Heredity |volume=110 |issue=3 |pages=207–212 |doi=10.1038/hdy.2012.92 |issn=1365-2540}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Frost |first=Nicola |date=2019-10-16 |title='Industrial melanism' linked to same gene in three moth species - University of Liverpool News |url=https://news.liverpool.ac.uk/2019/10/16/industrial-melanism-linked-to-same-gene-in-three-moth-species/ |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Van't Hof |first=Arjen E. |last2=Campagne |first2=Pascal |last3=Rigden |first3=Daniel J. |last4=Yung |first4=Carl J. |last5=Lingley |first5=Jessica |last6=Quail |first6=Michael A. |last7=Hall |first7=Neil |last8=Darby |first8=Alistair C. |last9=Saccheri |first9=Ilik J. |date=2016-06-02 |title=The industrial melanism mutation in British peppered moths is a transposable element |journal=Nature |volume=534 |issue=7605 |pages=102–105 |doi=10.1038/nature17951 |issn=1476-4687 |pmid=27251284}}</ref>
== Predators and parasites == [[File:Tomato Hornworm Parasitized by Braconid Wasp.jpg|thumb|200px|''Manduca sexta'' parasitised by braconid wasps]] Nocturnal insectivores often feed on moths; these include some bats, some species of owls and other species of birds. Moths also are eaten by some species of lizards, amphibians, cats, dogs, rodents, and some bears.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What eats butterflies (and moths!) {{!}} Kloof Conservancy The Leopard's Echo |url=https://le.kloofconservancy.org.za/what-eats-butterflies-and-moths/ |access-date=2026-03-23}}</ref> Moth larvae are vulnerable to being parasitised by Ichneumonidae.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ichneumon Wasp |url=https://texasinsects.tamu.edu/ichneumon-wasp/ |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=Field Guide to Common Texas Insects}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Viet |first=Bui Tuan |date=2017-02-23 |title=Ichneumonid Wasps (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) Parasitizee a Pupae of the Rice Insect Pests (Lepidoptera) in the Hanoi Area |url=https://www.jscimedcentral.com/jounal-article-info/JSM-Anatomy-and-Physiology/Ichneumonid-Wasps-(Hymenoptera,-Ichneumonidae)-Parasitizee-a-Pupae-of-the-Rice-Insect-Pests-(Lepidoptera)-in-the-Hanoi-Area-107 |journal=JSM Anatomy and Physiology |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=1–0 |doi=10.47739/2573-1262/1008 |issn=2573-1262}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Friends of Heene Cemetery |url=https://www.heenecemetery.org.uk/species/ichneumon-wasp-unnamed-3 |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=Friends of Heene Cemetery}}</ref>
Baculoviruses are parasite double-stranded DNA insect viruses that are used mostly as biological control agents. They are members of the Baculoviridae, a family that is restricted to insects. Most baculovirus isolates have been obtained from insects, in particular from Lepidoptera.{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}}
There is evidence that ultrasound in the range emitted by bats causes flying moths to make evasive maneuvers. Ultrasonic frequencies trigger a reflex action in the noctuid moth that causes it to drop a few centimetres or inches in its flight to evade attack,<ref>{{cite journal| last = Jones| first = G | author2=D A Waters| title = Moth hearing in response to bat echolocation calls manipulated independently in time and frequency| doi = 10.1098/rspb.2000.1188| year = 2000| journal = Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences| volume = 267| pmid = 11467425| issue = 1453| pmc = 1690724| pages = 1627–32}}</ref> and tiger moths can emit clicks to foil bats' echolocation.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kaplan |first=Matt |date=17 July 2009 |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/07/090717-moths-jam-bat-sonar.html |title=Moths Jam Bat Sonar, Throw the Predators Off Course |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822014813/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/07/090717-moths-jam-bat-sonar.html |archive-date=22 August 2009 |website=National Geographic News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106733884 |title=Some Moths Escape Bats By Jamming Sonar |type=video |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810131957/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106733884 |archive-date=10 August 2017 |url-status=live |website=NPR |date=17 July 2009}}</ref>
The fungus ''Ophiocordyceps sinensis'' infects the larvae of many different species of moths.<ref>{{cite journal | title=Entomopathogenicity and biological attributes of Himalayan treasured fungus ''Ophiocordyceps sinensis'' (Yarsagumba) | last1=Baral | first1=B | journal=Journal of Fungi | volume=3 | issue=1 | page=4 | pmid=29371523 | pmc=5715966 | doi=10.3390/jof3010004 | date=Feb 2017 | doi-access=free}}</ref>
== Ecology == [[File:Macroglossum stellatarum1 NR.jpg|thumb|A hummingbird hawk-moth feeding off flower nectar]] Moths, like butterflies, bees and other more popularly recognised pollinating insects, serve an essential role as pollinators for many flowering plants, including species that bees do not visit. Nocturnal moths fly from flower to flower to feed on nectar during the night much as their diurnal relatives do during the day. A study conducted in the UK found moths dusted with pollen from 47 different plant species, including seven species largely ignored by bees.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fox |first1=Alex |title=Moths Work the Pollination Night Shift, Visiting Some Flowers Bees Skip |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/moths-work-pollination-night-shift-visiting-some-flowers-bees-skip-180974884/ |website=Smithsonian |access-date=30 October 2022 |archive-date=30 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030201654/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/moths-work-pollination-night-shift-visiting-some-flowers-bees-skip-180974884/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Some studies indicate that certain species of moths, such as those belonging to the families Erebidae and Sphingidae, may be the key pollinators for some flowering plants in the Himalayan ecosystem.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nmhs.org.in/MG_24_2017_18.php|title=National Mission on Himalayan Studies|website=nmhs.org.in|access-date=4 November 2018|archive-date=4 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104031614/http://nmhs.org.in/MG_24_2017_18.php|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/moths-are-key-to-pollination-in-himalayan-ecosystem/article25354080.ece|title=Moths are key to pollination in Himalayan ecosystem|last=Singh|first=Shiv Sahay|date=28 October 2018|work=The Hindu|access-date=4 November 2018|issn=0971-751X|archive-date=28 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028192046/https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/moths-are-key-to-pollination-in-himalayan-ecosystem/article25354080.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> The roles of moths as pollinators have been studied less frequently than those of diurnal pollinators, but recent studies have established that moths are important, but often overlooked, nocturnal pollinators of a wide range of plants.<ref>{{cite journal|publisher=The Royal Society|title=Nocturnal pollinators strongly contribute to pollen transport of wild flowers in an agricultural landscape|date=13 May 2020|doi=10.1098/rsbl.2019.0877|last1=Walton|first1=Richard E.|last2=Sayer|first2=Carl D.|last3=Bennion|first3=Helen|last4=Axmacher|first4=Jan C.|journal=Biology Letters|volume=16|issue=5|pmid=32396782|pmc=7280044 |bibcode=2020BiLet..1690877W}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|publisher=BBC|title=Nature crisis: Moths have 'secret role' as crucial pollinators|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52630991|author=Matt McGrath|date=13 May 2020|access-date=13 May 2020|archive-date=13 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513014202/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52630991|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Macgregor|first1=Callum J.|last2=Pocock|first2=Michael J. O.|last3=Fox|first3=Richard|last4=Evans|first4=Darren M.|date=2015|title=Pollination by nocturnal Lepidoptera, and the effects of light pollution: a review|journal=Ecological Entomology|volume=40|issue=3|pages=187–198|doi=10.1111/een.12174|issn=1365-2311|pmc=4405039|pmid=25914438|bibcode=2015EcoEn..40..187M}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Hahn|first1=Melanie|last2=Brühl|first2=Carsten A.|date=25 January 2016|title=The secret pollinators: an overview of moth pollination with a focus on Europe and North America|journal=Arthropod-Plant Interactions|volume=10|issue=1|pages=21–28|doi=10.1007/s11829-016-9414-3|bibcode=2016APInt..10...21H |s2cid=18514093|issn=1872-8855}}</ref> Some researchers say it is likely that many plants thought to be dependent on bees for pollination also rely on moths, which have historically been less observed because they pollinate mainly at night.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kuta |first1=Sarah |title=Moths are the Unsung Heroes of Pollination |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/moths-are-the-unsung-heroes-of-pollination-180980491/ |website=smithsonianmag.com |access-date=30 October 2022 |archive-date=30 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030201653/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/moths-are-the-unsung-heroes-of-pollination-180980491/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
Both as caterpillars and adult, moths are a substantial part of the insect biomass available to insectivorous vertebrates, they are also an important dietary source for many bats and passerines.<ref>{{Cite journal |url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7812805/ |title=A window to the world of global insect declines: Moth biodiversity trends are complex and heterogeneous |last=Wagner|first=David L.|last2=Fox|first2=Richard|last3=Salcido|first3=Danielle M.|last4=Dyer|first4=Lee A.|date=2021-01-12|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America|volume=118|issue=2|article-number=e2002549117|doi=10.1073/pnas.2002549117|issn=1091-6490|pmc=7812805|pmid=33431565}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Scoble|first=Malcolm J.|title=The Lepidoptera: Form, Function and Diversity|publisher=Natural History Museum|year=1995|isbn=978-0-19-854952-9}}</ref>
== Behaviour == {{Expand section|date=March 2026}}{{See also|Lepidoptera#Behavior}}
=== Attraction to light === thumb|upright|Moths circling an electric light bulb
Moths frequently appear to circle artificial lights. The reason for this behaviour (positive phototaxis) has not been solved, however there is widespread speculation that it is a result of orientating instincts, which in the natural environment of night flying moths would cause them to fly upward towards the moon, and may be a part of dispersal behaviour.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Christine Truxa and Konrad Fiedler |date=2012 |title=Attraction to light – from how far do moths (Lepidoptera) return to weak artificial sources of light? ISSN: 1802-8829 |url=https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/43453436/Truxa_Fiedler_EurJEntomol_2012-libre.pdf?1457379145=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DAttraction_to_light_from_how_far_do_moth.pdf&Expires=1774277041&Signature=SZbvVuBsJKj28n9UK0Q-Ax3~78WRZRNErHTzkn2MtRZATWDlHWybxTxYpG8tQardXSjgNjiNbkDSUD4krvqjm3oRQr2-~4nXUCszUvFHcAOMKjcmluzv~bg6BhD-qND36XlEznCKsFJYEBqxDSmLYyokk5YyenlbQslAQbt3wAyE7qI8J4UV~YizLbiS34PZjGOkuuM2NwM4O-ok0KjOYgJylfMpQcoZEIQc69gQsYPcjS8ThOXOjgq-IlDJQeeCT0V8qMWQrwh2eJt1ItwGU983qAU8wXgcxOoWorcHVgcOko~yhbFbs5nkFvQ0V7z2ZR8q8gCXGuDull3yxRZ9QQ__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA |journal=European Journal of Entomology |volume=109}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Fabian |first=Samuel T. |last2=Sondhi |first2=Yash |last3=Allen |first3=Pablo E. |last4=Theobald |first4=Jamie C. |last5=Lin |first5=Huai-Ti |date=2024-01-30 |title=Why flying insects gather at artificial light |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-44785-3 |journal=Nature Communications |volume=15 |issue=1 |page=689 |doi=10.1038/s41467-024-44785-3 |issn=2041-1723}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Why are moths attracted to light? |url=https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/stories/why-are-moths-attracted-to-light |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=Birmingham Museums}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-12-01 |title=Why are moths attracted to light? |url=https://butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blog/why-are-moths-attracted-to-light |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=butterfly-conservation.org}}</ref>
One hypothesis is called celestial or transverse orientation. By maintaining a constant angular relationship to a bright celestial light, such as the moon, they can fly in a straight line. Celestial objects are so far away that, even after travelling great distances, the change in angle between the moth and the light source is negligible; further, the moon will always be in the upper part of the visual field, or on the horizon. When a moth encounters a much closer artificial light and uses it for navigation, the angle changes noticeably after only a short distance, in addition to being often below the horizon. The moth instinctively attempts to correct by turning toward the light, thereby causing airborne moths to come plummeting downward, and resulting in a spiral flight path that gets closer and closer to the light source.<ref>{{cite news | title=Why Are Moths Attracted to Flame? | work=npr.org | url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12903572 | date=18 August 2007 | access-date=5 April 2018 | archive-date=8 January 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108215236/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12903572 | url-status=live}}</ref>
Studies have found that light pollution caused by increasing use of artificial lights has either led to a severe decline in moth population in some parts of the world<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=van Langevelde|first1=Frank|last2=Braamburg-Annegarn|first2=Marijke|last3=Huigens|first3=Martinus E.|last4=Groendijk|first4=Rob|last5=Poitevin|first5=Olivier|last6=van Deijk|first6=Jurriën R.|last7=Ellis|first7=Willem N.|last8=van Grunsven|first8=Roy H. A.|last9=de Vos|first9=Rob|date=4 January 2018|title=Declines in moth populations stress the need for conserving dark nights|journal=Global Change Biology|volume=24|issue=3|pages=925–932|doi=10.1111/gcb.14008|pmid=29215778|issn=1354-1013|bibcode=2018GCBio..24..925V|s2cid=205145880}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/the-state-of-britains-moths|title=The State Of Britain's Moths|website=butterfly-conservation.org|access-date=4 November 2018|archive-date=4 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104165943/https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/the-state-of-britains-moths|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Boyes|first1=Douglas H.|last2=Evans|first2=Darren M.|last3=Fox|first3=Richard|last4=Parsons|first4=Mark S.|last5=Pocock|first5=Michael J. O.|date=August 2021|title=Street lighting has detrimental impacts on local insect populations|journal=Science Advances|volume=7|issue=35|article-number=eabi8322|doi=10.1126/sciadv.abi8322|pmc=8386932|pmid=34433571|bibcode=2021SciA....7.8322B}}</ref> or has severely disrupted nocturnal pollination.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Macgregor|first1=Callum J.|last2=Evans|first2=Darren M.|last3=Fox|first3=Richard|last4=Pocock|first4=Michael J. O.|date=12 July 2016|title=The dark side of street lighting: impacts on moths and evidence for the disruption of nocturnal pollen transport|journal=Global Change Biology|volume=23|issue=2|pages=697–707|doi=10.1111/gcb.13371|pmid=27251575|issn=1354-1013|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Knop|first1=Eva|last2=Zoller|first2=Leana|last3=Ryser|first3=Remo|last4=Gerpe|first4=Christopher|last5=Hörler|first5=Maurin|last6=Fontaine|first6=Colin|date=2 August 2017|title=Artificial light at night as a new threat to pollination|journal=Nature|volume=548|issue=7666|pages=206–209|doi=10.1038/nature23288|pmid=28783730|issn=0028-0836|bibcode=2017Natur.548..206K|s2cid=4466564|url=https://hal.science/hal-03947729/file/nature23288.pdf|access-date=13 June 2023|archive-date=27 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527212730/https://hal.science/hal-03947729/file/nature23288.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Relationship to humans == Some moths, particularly their caterpillars, can be major agricultural pests in many parts of the world. Examples include corn borers and bollworms.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib11/eib11.pdf |title=The First Decade of Genetically Engineered Crops in the United States |last1=Fernandez-Cornejo |first1=Jorge |last2=Caswell |first2=Margriet |date=April 2006 |website=ers.usda.gov |id=Economic Information Bulletin Number 11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614154639/http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib11/eib11.pdf |archive-date=14 June 2010 |publisher=USDA}}</ref> The caterpillar of the spongy moth (''Lymantria dispar'') causes severe damage to forests in the northeastern United States, where it is an invasive species. In temperate climates, the codling moth causes extensive damage, especially to fruit farms. In tropical and subtropical climates, the diamondback moth (''Plutella xylostella'') is perhaps the most serious pest of brassicaceous crops. Also in sub-Saharan Africa, the African sugarcane borer is a major pest of sugarcane, maize, and sorghum.<ref>{{Cite journal |doi=10.1016/0167-8809(94)90070-1|title=A review and perspectives for the biological control of the African sugarcane stalkborer Eldana saccharina Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)|journal=Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment|volume=48|issue=1|pages=9–17|date=February 1994|last1=Conlong|first1=D.E.|bibcode=1994AgEE...48....9C}}</ref>
Several moths in the family Tineidae are commonly regarded as pests because their larvae eat fabric such as clothes and blankets made from natural proteinaceous fibers such as wool or silk.<ref name="Scott">Scott, Thomas (1995). [https://books.google.com/books?id=LorrYj5pkKYC&pg=PA681 ''Concise Encyclopedia Biology''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112033954/http://books.google.com/books?id=LorrYj5pkKYC&pg=PA681 |date=12 January 2014}}. Walter de Gruyter. {{ISBN|3-11-010661-2}}.</ref> They are less likely to eat mixed materials containing some artificial fibers. There are some reports that they may be repelled by the scent of wood from juniper and cedar, by lavender, or by other natural oils; however, many consider this unlikely to prevent infestation. Naphthalene (the chemical used in mothballs) is considered more effective, but there are concerns over its effects on human health.{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}}
Despite being commonly thought to be undertaken by all moths,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cohen |first=Arianne |date=January 27, 2010 |title=When Moths Make a Home in Yours |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/garden/28fix.html |access-date=June 24, 2024 |work=The New York Times |archive-date=28 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128040816/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/garden/28fix.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Zwick |first1=Andreas |last2=Luo |first2=Ying |date=January 5, 2022 |title=Moths eating your clothes? It's actually their hungry little caterpillars – here's how to get rid of them |url=https://www.csiro.au/en/news/all/articles/2022/january/clothes-eating-moths |access-date=June 24, 2024 |website=CSIRO |archive-date=30 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530054005/https://www.csiro.au/en/news/all/articles/2022/january/clothes-eating-moths |url-status=live }}</ref> only the larvae of several moth species eat animal fibres, creating holes in articles of clothing, in particular those made of wool. Most species do not eat fabrics, and some moth adults do not even eat at all. Some, like the Luna, Polyphemus, Atlas, Promethea, cecropia, and other large moths do not have mouth parts. This is possible because they live off the food stores from when they were a caterpillar, and only live a short time as an adult (roughly a week for some species).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Konkel |first1=Lindsey |title=7 Things You Don't Know About Moths, But Should |url=https://www.livescience.com/21933-moth-week-facts.html |website=Live Science |date=28 July 2012 |access-date=19 January 2021 |archive-date=20 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120234758/https://www.livescience.com/21933-moth-week-facts.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Many species of adult moths do however eat: for instance, many will drink nectar.<ref name="Scott" />
Items of fabric infested by clothes moth larvae may be treated by freezing them for several days at a temperature below {{convert|-8|°C|°F}}.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Choe, D.-H. |url=http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7435.html |title=How to Manage Pests {{!}} Pests of Homes, Structures, People, and Pets {{!}} Clothes Moths |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070625180637/http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7435.html |archive-date=25 June 2007 |url-status=live | publisher=University of California, Davis |website=ipm.ucdavis.edu |date=21 June 2016}}</ref>
Some moths are farmed for their economic value. The most notable of these is the silkworm, the larva of the domesticated moth ''Bombyx mori''. It is farmed for the silk with which it builds its cocoon. {{As of|2002}}, the silk industry produces more than 130 million kilograms of raw silk, worth about 250 million U.S. dollars, each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/AD452E/ad452e2a.htm|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations|access-date=2 October 2008|title=Table 74. Raw silk: production (including waste)|quote=Table lists worldwide raw silk production 132,400 metric tonnes in 2002|archive-date=18 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080318231103/http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/004/AD452E/ad452e2a.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiansilk.kar.nic.in/csb/Statistics/forexchg_tasar/forexchg_tasar_Local/SilkFlash/RawSilkPrice_tnap.asp|publisher=Central Silk Board of India|title=Silk Exchanges of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307195458/http://www.indiansilk.kar.nic.in/csb/Statistics/forexchg_tasar/forexchg_tasar_Local/SilkFlash/RawSilkPrice_tnap.asp |archive-date=7 March 2007}} gives silk prices in rupees. Exchange rate is about 50 RS to dollar.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vegansociety.com/html/animals/exploitation/silk_worm.php|title=Silk Worm Farming|publisher=Vegan Society|access-date=2 October 2008|quote=World Raw Silk Production in 1996 is listed as 83,670 metric tonnes |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080619042940/http://www.vegansociety.com/html/animals/exploitation/silk_worm.php |archive-date = 19 June 2008}}</ref>
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'').{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}}
The larvae of many species are used as food, particularly in Africa, where they are an important source of nutrition. The mopane worm, the caterpillar of ''Gonimbrasia belina'', from the family Saturniidae, is a significant food resource in southern Africa. Another saturniid used as food is the cavorting emperor (''Usta terpsichore''). In one country alone, Congo, more than 30 species of moth larvae are harvested. Some are sold not only in the local village markets, but are shipped by the ton from one country to another.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.food-insects.com/edible%20species.htm |title=Some Edible Species |website=Food-Insects.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107031911/http://food-insects.com/edible%20species.htm |archive-date=7 November 2014}}</ref>
Moth traps are often used by amateur collectors, entomologists, or in pest control, to capture moths.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Waring |first=Paul |title=A Guide to Moth Traps and Their Use |year=2001 |isbn=978-1-8380246-1-1}}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery heights="140" style="font-size:88%; line-height:130%" styles="font-size:88%; line-height:130%" mode="packed"> File:Micrographia Schem 30.jpg|Diagram of a plume moth from Robert Hooke's ''Micrographia'' File:Kerala Leaf Insect.jpg|Leaf-shaped moth (''Pergesa acteus'') File:Giant grey moth.png|Giant grey moth (''Agrius convolvuli'') File:Colourful Moth.jpg|Oleander hawk-moth or army green moth (''Daphnis nerii'') File:Red spotted moths 1 (3745889925).jpg|Six-spot burnet moths mating (''Zygaena filipendulae'') File:Silk cocoon.jpg|Protective silk (or similar material) case (cocoon) File:Caterpillar-----02.jpg|A caterpillar of death's-head hawkmoth File:Joined moths.JPG|Mating pair of ''Laothoe populi'', or poplar hawkmoths, showing two different color variants File:White-lined sphinx moth.JPG|White-lined sphinx moth in Colorado, United States File:Мебельная моль.jpg|Closeup of a common clothes moth File:Giant silk moth (Adelowalkeria tristygma).jpg|Giant silk moth (''Adelowalkeria tristygma'') File:Adult Emperor Moth.jpg|Adult emperor moth (''Gonimbrasia belina'') File:A Moth on marble floor.jpg|A moth on a marble floor in Kolkata, India File:Clothes moth.jpg|Clothes moth, eye File:Female rose-myrtle lappet moth.jpg|Female rose-myrtle lappet moth hanging on the wooden door File:A Moth on artificial flowers.jpg|A moth on artificial flowers in Kolkata, India File:Aglaomorpha histrio on leaf.jpg|Tiger moth (''Aglaomorpha histrio'') File:Box Tree Moth under leaf.jpg|Box tree moth (''Cydalima perspectalis'') </gallery>
== See also == * Iich'aa * Insect tea * Lists of moths * Lepidopterism * Mothman * Mothra
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons|Lepidoptera}} *{{wikiquote-inline|Moths}} * Wilkes, Benjamin (1749). ''[https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/73622 The English Moths and Butterflies]''.
{{Insects in culture|state=collapsed}} {{Lepidoptera|state=collapsed}} {{Portal bar|Insects|Arthropods|Animals|Biology}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1725788}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Moths Category:Agricultural pest insects Category:Household pest insects Category:Lepidoptera Category:Paraphyletic groups