In honor of our upcoming Moths of Arizona Workshop, on September 15 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., we’ve got a few fascinating moth facts to share with you. Impress your friends with these fun facts about moths!
Some moths don’t have mouths. The Luna moth, for example, does not have a mouth and cannot eat. Its sole purpose during its short life span is simply to mate and lay eggs!
Moths are masters of disguise. Some moths’ distinct markings look like eyes to confuse their predators, while other moths are “designed” to look exactly like another creature. Case in point? The hornet moth looks identical to a real hornet, but is totally harmless; and the wood nymph moth is comparable to bird droppings — which keeps predators at bay. Pretty tricky, eh?
Moths’s hairy bodies make them naturally great pollinators — an important role in our ecological system!
Moths are a “good fat.” What? Turns out moth caterpillars are a huge source of food in African countries, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. For these indigenous peoples, the moth caterpillars serve as an important source of protein, healthy fat, and minerals such as potassium, calcium, zinc and iron. We recommend you simply enjoy moths for their beauty, however, not as a snack!
Moths don’t have noses but they have an excellent sense of smell — they use their antennae as scent receptors. Male moths can sleuth out just a single molecule of a female moth’s reproductive hormone from seven miles away, according to Live Science. Now that’s a sniffer!
The Atlas moth is the largest of the species, when it comes to wingspan. The female Atlas Moth’s wingspan can be as large as 12 inches, with a total surface area of 62 square inches!
Join us for our Moths of Arizona Workshop to learn even more about the Amazing Moth!
