20 Moth Species Extra Lovely Than Butterflies

Comet Moth

With a wingspan of almost 8 inches, the comet moth (Argema mittrei) is among the largest moths on the planet.

It is a member of the enormous silk moths, a household of moths that produce silk whereas in caterpillar kind to assemble their cocoons. It has a thick, bushy physique, feathery antennae, and distinctive eyespots to disarm predators.

Also called the Madagascan moon moth, it is solely present in Madagascar. As a result of habitat loss, it is now endangered, although it’s nonetheless bred in captivity. 

Lime Hawk-Moth

The lime hawk-moth (Mimas tiliae) is a medium-sized species with a wingspan of about 3 inches. It is discovered all through Europe, Asia, and North Africa.

It has a band of inexperienced markings throughout its wings, which helps it conceal in its woodland habitat. Males of the species are often smaller than the females however have extra colourful markings.

Twin-Noticed Sphinx Moth

The dual-spotted sphinx moth (Smerinthus jamaicensis) is in most regards a dull-looking species, with one notable exception: whereas its physique and forewings are brown, it has purple hindwings with outstanding blue and black eyespots.

It may be discovered throughout North America, with a spread that stretches from Florida to the Yukon. In its larval stage, it feeds totally on fruit timber like crab apples and cherries.

Oleander Hawk-Moth

The oleander hawk-moth (Daphnis nerii) is a big instance of a hawk-moth, with a wingspan of three inches. It is best recognized for its flying skill, and when it hovers over flowers to feed on nectar, it is simply mistaken for a hummingbird.

Also called the military inexperienced moth, it has a fancy camouflage sample that ranges from inexperienced to white to purple. It is present in Asia, Africa, and the Hawaiian Islands, the place it was launched to pollinate some endangered flowers. 

Io Moth

The io moth (Automeris io) is a colourful species that may be discovered throughout a lot of Canada and america. It has massive, dramatic eyespots with white speckles that nearly seem to replicate gentle.

Whereas the males are primarily yellow, feminine moths have purple forewings and smaller antennae. In its caterpillar kind, it’s shiny inexperienced and lined with venomous spines that launch toxins when touched. 

Backyard Tiger Moth

The backyard tiger moth (Arctia caja) prefers colder climates, and may be discovered within the higher latitudes throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.

Its zebralike wing sample wards off predators, and for good cause—the fluids in its physique are poisonous to different animals. It additionally generates a clicking sound that is been confirmed to disrupt bats’ echolocation skills, which serves as one other escape tactic. 

Galium Sphinx Moth

The galium sphinx moth (Hyles gallii) is one other spectacular flier, with sturdy, striped wings that may span over 3 inches. Its vary consists of the Northern United States and Canada, and it could possibly even survive as far north because the Arctic Circle.

It is named after the Galium household of vegetation, which it feeds on as a caterpillar. Sphinx moths, often known as hawk-moths, are unusually lively in the course of the daytime, after they feed on the nectar of flowers. 

Rosy Maple Moth

The rosy maple moth (Dryocampa rubicunda) is among the smallest of the good silk moths, a household of moths with greater than 2,300 member species. It is distinguished by its shiny coloration, with a stout yellow physique, pink legs, and pink- and yellow-striped wings. And clearly, the rosy maple moth will get bonus factors for that face!

This fuzzy creature feeds on maple leaves in its caterpillar kind; in reality, massive teams of caterpillars can simply render a tree naked, although this doesn’t hurt the host tree.

Like different nice silk moths, it solely survives from just a few days as much as two weeks as an grownup and lacks the mouth elements essential to eat.  

False Tiger Moth

The false tiger moth (Dysphania militaris) is among the moth species mostly mistaken for a butterfly, maybe on account of its shiny coloration, which is paying homage to some swallowtail butterflies.

Regardless of its shiny colours, it shares the traits that separate moths from butterflies, together with feathery antennae, a thicker stomach, and bigger scales on its wings. It’s present in Southeast Asia, and has a wingspan of about 3.5 inches. 

Cecropia Moth

The cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia) is North America’s largest moth, with a wingspan that may attain 7 inches. Like different big silk moths, it cannot eat and survives as an grownup moth for less than two weeks.

The inhabitants is vulnerable to pest points—a parasitoid known as the tachinid fly was launched to fight unique gypsy moths, however has been so efficient that it’s affecting native moth populations as properly. 

Madagascan Sundown Moth

Just like the comet moth, the Madagascan sundown moth (Chrysiridia rhipheus) is a colourful specimen that’s endemic to Madagascar. It isn’t, nevertheless, as massive because the comet moth, with a wingspan of solely 3 inches.

Its hindwings sport a mess of hues in addition to a number of distinctive tails. Collectors are so enamored by its stunning look that it’s now bred in captivity for the worldwide butterfly commerce.

Large Leopard Moth

The large leopard moth (Hypercompe scribonia) is discovered throughout North and Central America, from southern Canada to Panama.

It has a particular shade sample, with white wings with black spots, a few of that are strong and others ringed. When its wings are unfold, its colourful stomach, with shiny blue and orange spots, turns into seen. It is usually arduous to identify, due to its nocturnal nature. 

Rothschildia Aurota

Rothschildia aurota is one other big silk moth species, and one of many largest to be present in South America, with a wingspan of 6-7 inches. It’s one in every of many comparable species on the continent, which could clarify the shortage of a typical identify.

Because of its wingspan and coloration, it is also a preferred species with hobbyist breeders and is thought for being straightforward to lift in captivity. 

Emperor Moth

The emperor moth (Saturnia pavonia) is a big, brown species discovered throughout Europe. It is the one member of the Saturniidae household—which incorporates a lot of the largest, most stunning moths—that lives within the British Isles.

Its largely brown look is ready off by a black and orange eyespot on every of its 4 wings.

Males will fly in the course of the day and are far more lively than females, which favor to lie low within the vegetation throughout daylight. 

White-Lined Sphinx Moth

The white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) is one other hawk-moth recognized for its flying prowess paying homage to hummingbirds. Its most hanging function is the white strains referenced in its identify, which cowl each its wings and stomach.

It is discovered throughout most of North and Central America, the place it feeds on all kinds of vegetation and flowers.

In its caterpillar kind, it is recognized to collect in massive teams that may defoliate timber and shrubs. 

Luna Moth

The luna moth (Actias luna) is among the largest moth species present in North America. Whereas it is not endangered, it may be arduous to identify within the wild, on account of its weeklong lifespan.

It is distinguished by its white physique and huge, pale inexperienced wings with lengthy tails. As a caterpillar, the luna moth is one in every of a number of species that can deter predators by producing a clicking sound and regurgitating a foul liquid.

Hercules moth

A feminine Hercules moth (Coscinocera hercules) earned the excellence because the world’s largest moth, with the biggest recorded wing floor space of any insect and a wingspan of 11 inches. It is native to northern Australia and New Guinea.

These big specimens have not developed by chance—research present that enormous wings with lengthy tails may also help moths escape from bats by drawing consideration away from extra important physique elements and disrupting sonar.

Espresso Clearwing

The espresso clearwing (Cephonodes hylas), often known as the espresso bee hawk-moth or pellucid hawk-moth, is extensively discovered throughout Africa, the Center East, Asia, and Australia.

It is distinctive for its clear, black-lined wings, and its multicolored physique, which ranges from yellow to brown to inexperienced. As a caterpillar, it feeds on gardenia and occasional vegetation and includes a horn on its rear finish, a typical attribute of hawk-moth larvae.  

Elephant Hawk-Moth

The elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) is distributed throughout Europe and Asia, however is mostly present in the UK. In contrast to most pollinating moths, which feed in the course of the day, it stays nocturnal and has developed glorious evening imaginative and prescient. It could actually even detect a flower’s shade with solely moonlight as a information. 

It has developed to have eyespots in each its caterpillar and grownup varieties. As a caterpillar, it’s going to strike a defensive pose, widening its physique and emphasizing the spots to discourage predators.

Japanese Silk Moth

The Japanese silk moth (Antheraea yamamai) is thought for producing uncommon and costly tussar silk, nevertheless it’s an arresting species on account of its look as properly. It has massive, fernlike antennae and tan-colored wings that may develop as much as 6 inches large.

It is native to Japan, however after greater than 1,000 years of cultivation for its silk, it has been imported throughout Asia and Europe, the place the species escaped containment and now additionally lives within the wild.