View source for Moth

{{Short description|Group of mostly-nocturnal insects in the order Lepidoptera}}
{{other uses}}
{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
{{Paraphyletic group
| name = Moths
| image = Attacus_atlas_(15050883139).jpg
| image_alt = large reddish-brown moth perched on a leaf
| image_caption = Atlas moth, ''[[Attacus atlas]]''
| auto = yes
| taxon = Lepidoptera
| includes_text = Major divisions
| includes = 
*[[Aglossata]]
*[[Glossata]] 
*[[Heterobathmiina]]
*[[Zeugloptera]]
| excludes = * [[Papilionoidea]]
}}

'''Moths''' are a group of insects that includes all members of the order [[Lepidoptera]] that are not [[Butterfly|butterflies]].<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 [[Paraphyly|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 animal|diurnal]] species.

== Etymology ==
The [[modern English]] word ''moth'' comes from [[Old English]] {{lang|ang|moððe}} ([[cf.]] [[Northumbrian Old English|Northumbrian]] {{lang|ang|mohðe}}) from [[Common Germanic]] (compare [[Old Norse]] {{lang|non|motti}}, [[Dutch language|Dutch]] {{lang|nl|mot}}, and [[German language|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.

== Differences between butterflies and moths==
{{Main|Comparison of butterflies and moths}}

[[File:Basic moth identification features.jpg|thumb|Basic moth identification features]]
While the [[Butterfly|butterflies]] form a [[monophyly|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 [[Antenna (biology)|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 [[angiosperm]]s 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|language=en|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>

== Caterpillar ==

[[File:Poplar hawk-moth.jpg|thumb|[[Laothoe populi|Poplar hawk-moth caterpillar]] (''Laothoe populi'')]]

Moth larvae, or [[caterpillar]]s, make [[Cocoon (silk)|cocoon]]s from which they emerge as fully grown moths with wings. Some moth caterpillars dig holes in the ground, where they live until they are ready to turn into adult moths.<ref>{{Cite book | last = Darby | first = Gene | title = What is a Butterfly | publisher = [[Benefic Press]] | location = Chicago | year = 1958 | page = 41 }}</ref>

==Evolution==
Moths evolved long before butterflies; moth [[fossil]]s have been found that may be 190&nbsp;million years old. Both types of Lepidoptera are thought to have co-evolved with [[flowering plant]]s, 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|''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>

== Economics ==

=== Significance to humans ===

[[File:Moth September 2008-3.jpg|thumb|200px|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.]]

Some moths, particularly their [[caterpillar]]s, can be major [[agriculture|agricultural]] [[Pest (organism)|pests]] in many parts of the world. Examples include [[corn borer]]s and [[Bollworm (disambiguation)|bollworm]]s.<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 [[Brassicaceae|brassicaceous]] crops. Also in [[sub-Saharan Africa]], the [[Eldana|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 [[Cloth|fabric]] such as [[clothes]] and [[blanket]]s 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 [[cedrus|cedar]], by [[lavender]], or by other natural oils; however, many consider this unlikely to prevent infestation. [[Naphthalene]] (the chemical used in [[mothball]]s) is considered more effective, but there are concerns over its effects on human health.

Despite being [[List of common misconceptions|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]]}}</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]]}}</ref> only the larvae of [[Clothes moth|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 [[Actias luna|Luna]], [[Antheraea polyphemus|Polyphemus]], [[Attacus atlas|Atlas]], [[Callosamia promethea|Promethea]], [[Hyalophora cecropia|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 [[farm]]ed 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 (silk)|cocoon]]. {{As of|2002}}, the silk industry produces more than 130&nbsp;million kilograms of raw silk, worth about 250&nbsp;million [[United States dollar|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]]'').

The larvae of many species are [[Insects as food|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, [[Democratic Republic of Congo|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>

=== Predators and parasites ===

[[File:Tomato Hornworm Parasitized by Braconid Wasp.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Tobacco hornworm parasitized by [[Braconidae|braconid wasp]]s]]

Nocturnal insectivores often feed on moths; these include some [[bat]]s, some species of [[owl]]s and other species of [[bird]]s. Moths also are eaten by some species of [[lizard]]s, [[amphibian]]s, [[cat]]s, [[dog]]s, [[rodent]]s, and some [[bear]]s. Moth larvae are vulnerable to being parasitized by [[Ichneumonidae]].

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.

There is evidence that ultrasound in the range emitted by bats causes flying moths to make evasive maneuvers. [[Ultrasound|Ultrasonic]] frequencies trigger a reflex action in the [[noctuid]] moth that causes it to drop a few centimeters 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 [[Arctiini (erebid moths)|tiger moths]] can emit clicks to foil bats' [[Animal echolocation|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>

== Ecological importance ==
Moths, like butterflies, bees and other more popularly recognized [[Pollinator|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=smithsonianmag.com |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|language=en-gb|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|language=en-IN|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|language=en|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>

==Attraction to light==

[[File:Moth near lamp (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|Moths circling an electric lightbulb]]

Moths frequently appear to circle artificial lights. The reason for this behavior (positive [[phototaxis]]) is currently unknown.

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|language=en|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|language=en|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|language=EN|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|language=en|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|language=En|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>

==Examples of moth species==
*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<ref name =Tait>{{cite book |last=Tait |first=Malcolm |title=Animal Tragic: Popular Misconceptions of Wildlife Through the Centuries |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o8jDkO2fMTgC&pg=PA38 |year=2006 |publisher=Think Books |isbn=978-1-84525-015-7 |page=38 |access-date=24 September 2016 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806222943/https://books.google.com/books?id=o8jDkO2fMTgC&pg=PA38 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[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<ref>Brundage, Adrienne (23 March 2009), Other Arthropods of Forensic Importance, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University Forensic Entomology Lecture</ref>
*[[Opodiphthera eucalypti|Emperor gum moth]] (''Opodiphthera eucalypti''), known for being source of continuous cell cultures
*[[Antheraea polyphemus|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
*[[Hepialidae|Ghost moths]] (''Hepialidae'' spp.), larvae mummified by the parasitic fungus ''[[Ophiocordyceps sinensis]]'' are highly valued in traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine
*[[Pyrrharctia isabella|Isabella tiger moth]] (''Pyrrharctia isabella''), known for woollybear festivals in Canada and the U.S.
*[[Ascalapha odorata|Black witch moth]] (''Ascalapha odorata''), known for associations with souls and death in folklore and mythology within the Americas
*[[Calyptra (moth)|Vampire moths]] (''Calyptra'' spp.)
*[[Xanthopan|Morgan's sphinx moth]] (''Xanthopan morganii''), known for orchid pollination
*[[Comet moth]] (''Argema mittrei''), known for coevolutionary arms race with bats
*Magpie moth (''[[Nyctemera annulata]])'', pupae used in Maori children's game
*Bamboo worm (''[[Omphisa fuscidentalis]]''), used as food source in Thailand and Nagaland
*[[Hummingbird hawk-moth]] (''Macroglossum stellatarum''), seen as good/lucky omen
*Mother Shipton moth (''[[Callistege mi]]''), forewing pattern represents English folklore figure [[Mother Shipton]]
*Mopone moth (''[[Gonimbrasia belina]]''), caterpillars are food source in southern Africa
*African wild silk worm (''[[Gonometa postica]]'')
*Japanese silk moth (''[[Antheraea yamamai]]'')
*[[Garden tiger moth]] (''Arctia caja''), caterpillar hairs known for causing hives and irritation
*''[[Erasmia pulchella]]'', known for beautiful wing patterns resembling ''nishiki'' cloth (type of Japanese brocade)

===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
*[[Helicoverpa zea|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 moth]]s (''[[Galleria mellonella]]'', ''[[Achroia grisella]]''), pests of bee hives
*''[[Duponchelia fovealis]]'', a new invasive pest of vegetables and ornamental plants in the United States
*[[Levuana moth|Leuvana moth]] (''Levuana iridescens''), notorious coconut pest made extinct

==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|[[Hyles lineata|White-lined sphinx moth]] in Colorado, United States
File:Мебельная моль.jpg|Closeup of a [[Tineola bisselliella|common clothes moth]]
File:Giant silk moth (Adelowalkeria tristygma).jpg|Giant silk moth (''[[Adelowalkeria|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}}
* [[Benjamin Wilkes|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:Agricultural pest insects]]
[[Category:Household pest insects]]
[[Category:Moths|*]]
[[Category:Paraphyletic groups]]