![]() ![]() Keep in mind that “moth” isn’t as clear-cut a group as butterflies - “moth” is kind of a catch-all term for any Lepidopteran that’s not a butterfly. Photo from: (20497044485).jpg This Baltimore checkerspot butterfly while the butterfly has clubbed antenna and is holding its wings upright. This rosy maple moth has feathery antennae, and it’s holding its wings flat. That’s when some species of moths take on the role of pollinators. ![]() Once the caterpillars are grown, they form cocoons, and eventually metamorphose into their winged adult stage. Moths start out as eggs that hatch into caterpillars and spend all their time eating food - mostly leaves, though some moths love to feast on wool and silk. What exactly are moths? And how can you tell them apart from butterflies? They’re insects in the order Lepidoptera, and like butterflies, they’ve got scaly wings, antenna, and a hankering for flower nectar. More than that, they can be every bit as striking, weird, and wonderful as other pollinators - and you can observe them right in your backyard, if you know what you’re doing. ![]() If not, they should be! Though these pollinators are active mostly at dusk and at night, and often get the short shrift when compared to their day-flying butterfly cousins, they also play an important role in pollination. Possibly even showy butterflies like monarchs and swallowtails, or feathered pollinators like hummingbirds, or warm-blooded pollinators like the lesser long-nosed bat. Quick, name a pollinator! What’s the first thing that popped into your mind? Maybe it was a honeybee. ![]()
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