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More About Moths ...
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A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly. Both are of the order Lepidoptera. People who study or collect these insects are called lepidopterists. Most species of moths are nocturnal, but there are crepuscular and day-flying species.
Moths are commonly regarded as pests because the larvae of a few species eat fabric such as clothes and blankets. These can be repelled by the scent of wood from juniper and cedar, or naphthalene (the chemical used in mothballs).
Moths are notable for apparently being attracted to light, or more specifically, are known to circle ambient objects. The reason for this behaviour is not known. Moths do not fly directly away from the light due to a visual distortion called a Mach band. One researcher, Henry Hsiao, has conjectured that moths, as nocturnal creatures, fly towards the darkest part of the sky in pursuit of safety. Moths are thus inclined to circle ambient objects in the Mach band region, usually at a radius of about one foot, depending on the species.
Night blooming flowers usually depend on moths (or bats) for pollination, and artificial lighting can draw moths away from the flowers, impacting the plant's ability to reproduce. Light pollution is coming under increasing scrutiny as a source of many subtle ecological changes.
Moths of the type understood to be "attracted to light" are, instead, flummoxed by the proliferation of artifical lights in their local environment, which, if brighter than the brightest celestial object (e.g., the moon), will usurp that object's significance as the reference point for the moth's flight. To travel in a straight line, a moth would maintain the same angular relationship with the (relatively stationary) moon. Encountering a brighter artificial light, as the moth maintains its angular relationship to the source of light (per its evolved mode of navigating), but, because the light is nearby, that consistent angle results in a decreasing spiral, until the moth strikes the light source.
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Source: Wikipedia Read more about Moths
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INFO LINKS
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Moth
Prairie Frontier
Excellent Moth Guide. Image and short description provided for different kinds of moth. Read More
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hummingbird moth
Jörg's Hummingbird-Hawkmoth Page
"This "hummingbird moth" is also known as the White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata), and it is one of several types of moth of the family sphingidae that are often mistaken for hummingbirds". Read More
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hummingbird moth
Fairfax County Public Schools
Detailed inforamtion on humming bird moth with photos. :Many people do confuse it with hummingbirds because of its coloration and how it moves". Read More
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hummingbird moth
enature.com
categorized info on lifecycle, habitat, range, etc. Read More
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Silk Moth
NatureNorth
Interesting narrative. " A giant silk moth around here is about the size of the palm of your hand". Read More
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White underwing moth
NatureNorth
White underwing moths signal the end of summer just as surely as the first changing leaves or the skeins of geese overhead. Interesting narrative Read More
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Bogong Moth
Unique Australian Animals
Categorized information on Bogong Moth including description, habitat, feeding, etc. Has nice pictures, too. Read More
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Silkworm Moth
PBS
Interesting article about silkworm moth. " Silk is made from the filaments that silkworm caterpillars -- known to scientists as Bombyx mori". Read More
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Hummingbird Moth
birds-n-garden.com
"If you believe you saw a brown, striped hummingbird, you probably saw the perfect hummingbird look-a-like. Hummingbird moths have disappointed many people who believed that they were seeing their first hummingbird" Read More
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hummingbird moth
howardfamily
animated hummingbird moth. Interesting! Read More
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hummingbird moth
goldfishpond.net
pictures of humminbird moth Read More
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Clearwing Moth
http://home.cogeco.ca/~lunker/clearwing.htm
Short narrative on clearwing moths (one of them being the hummingbird moth. "The term clearwing means exactly that......their wings are primarily a clear membrane like bees, wasps or flies. Only the out edge portion of their wings are covered with scales'. Read More
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Eastern Tent Caterpillar
University of Kentucky, Entomology
categorized information on description, habits, lifecycle and controls Read More
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Tent Caterpillar
University of Kentucky, Entomology
categorized information on description, habits, lifecycle and controls Read More
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European Gypsy Moth
University of Kentucky, Entomology
categorized information on description, habits, lifecycle and controls Read More
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Gypsy Moth
The Longpoint schoolhouse
Short narrative "The gypsy moth has long been a pest in fruit orchards in the northeastern United States. The caterpillar stage of this moth feeds on the foliage of fruit trees, oaks, birches, and other types of commercially important plants". Read More
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Luna Moth
The Longpoint schoolhouse
Short description. "The full-grown luna moth has transparent circles". Read More
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Moth
Virginia Cooperative Extension
categorized information on different kinds of moths. Read More
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Sphinx Moth
Animals Of The Rainforest
Brief description, taxonomic information, pictures, and links Read More
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Moth
Northamptonshire Wildlife
Nice picture gallery of moths Read More
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Sphinx Moth
Desert USA
Categorized information. :The Sphinx Moth (family Sphingidae) is also called the Hawk Moth and the Hummingbird Moth because of its hovering, swift flight patterns". Read More
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hummingbird moth
colorado state university
Short description of hummingbird moth. "Adults of all hornworms turn into large moths, known as "sphinx" or "hawk" moths" Read More
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hummingbird moth
IWF
Experiments on the flight of hummingbirds Read More
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Luna Moth
Amazing insects
short narrative/pictures Read More
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Cecropia Moth
Amazing insects
short narrative/pictures Read More
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Gypsy Moth
Amazing insects
short narrative/pictures Read More
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Io Moth
Amazing insects
short narrative/pictures Read More
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Moth
Rickert's Garden
Pictures of various Moth species found in Minnesota Read More
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