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moth
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Brahmaea hearseyi moth with wide, patterned brown and tan wings rests on a green leaf, with soft-focus foliage in the background. Rosy maple moth (Dryocampa rubicunda) with bright pink and yellow wings resting on a green leaf.
Vintage illustrations of colorful moths.
A Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus) with large tan wings featuring distinctive eye spots rests on a green leaf. White spring moth (Lomographa vestaliata) with pale, outstretched wings rests on soil and twigs in the Netherlands. Two light-colored and two dark melanic peppered moths (Biston betularia) rest on a textured, two-toned tree trunk, demonstrating camouflage and industrial melanism. A banded woolly bear caterpillar (Pyrrharctia isabella) with fuzzy black and orange bands crawls on a textured wooden surface. A large, pale blue-green Atlas moth caterpillar with white spiny protuberances clings to a branch surrounded by green leaves. A flannel moth caterpillar (Megalopyge opercularis) with dense, tan and gray hair rests on a green leaf at night. A brightly colored Spurge hawk-moth (Hyles euphorbiae) caterpillar with yellow, black, red, and white markings crawls along a brown twig against a blurred green background.
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Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters
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Lion (panthera leo)
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Green tree python snake (Chondropython viridis) in a rainforest.
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moth: References & Edit History

Additional Reading

John Himmelman, Discovering Moths: Nighttime Jewels in Your Own Backyard (2002), is an introduction to the natural history, economic significance, classification, collection, and lore of these nocturnal lepidopterans. V. J. Stanek, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Butterflies and Moths, ed. by Brian Turner, trans. from the Czech by Vera Gissing (1977, reissued 1993); and Mauro Daccordi, Paolo Triberti, and Adriano Zanetti, The Macdonald Encyclopedia of Butterflies and Moths (1988), provide highly illustrated and authoritative accounts of the world’s Lepidoptera.

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Add new Web site: The Royal Society Publishing - Journal of The Royal Society Interface - Electrostatic pollination by butterflies and moths. Sep 18, 2026
Add new Web site: Colorado State University - College of Agricultural Sciences - Butterflies and moths. Jul 04, 2026
Add new Web site: Florida Museum - Scientists lay out what we do and don’t yet know about moths and butterflies. Apr 16, 2026
Add new Web site: ABC listen - Off Track - In honour of moths. Jan 23, 2026
Add new Web site: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - Moths of economic importance infesting stored products: Selected notes on bionomics and identification. Nov 28, 2025
Add new Web site: Missouri Department of Conservation - Moths. Sep 03, 2025
Revised opening paragraph and added section headings. Media added. Jul 18, 2025
Media added. Jul 16, 2025
Add new Web site: American Academy of Dermatology - Caterpillars and moths (PDF). Mar 20, 2025
Revised taxonomy and noted that some adults lack mouthparts. Revised and added media. Mar 19, 2025
Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - New Insights into the Microbiota of Moth Pests. Jan 17, 2025
Add new Web site: University of Florida - IFAS Extension - Magnificent Moths: A Guide to Begin “Mothing” and Contributing Your Observations to iNaturalist. Sep 26, 2024
Media added. Jul 02, 2024
Add new Web site: Australian Museum - What are the differences between butterflies and moths? May 03, 2024
Add new Web site: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology - Caterpillars and moths. Feb 22, 2024
Add new Web site: WebMD - Household Pests: Moths. Aug 22, 2023
Add new Web site: PNAS - A window to the world of global insect declines: Moth biodiversity trends are complex and heterogeneous. Mar 25, 2023
Changed “gypsy moth” to “spongy moth.” Sep 15, 2022
Add new Web site: Smithsonian Institution - Moths. May 07, 2022
Add new Web site: Healthline - Do Moths Bite? Feb 28, 2021
Updated the approximate number of known moth species from 150,000 to 160,000. Jan 19, 2018
Add new Web site: LiveScience - 7 Things You Don't Know About Moths. Oct 11, 2017
Add new Web site: Right Plants 4 Me - Plants To Attract Butterflies & Moths. Dec 23, 2014
Add new Web site: Right Plants 4 Me - Plants To Attract Butterflies & Moths. Dec 23, 2014
Add new Web site: Colorado State University Extension - Moth. Apr 10, 2013
Add new Web site: A-Z Animals - Moth. Apr 10, 2013
Add new Web site: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum - Moths. Apr 10, 2013
Add new Web site: BioKIDS - Butterflies and moths. Jan 01, 2013
Add new Web site: Butterflyplants - Butterfly and Moth. Jan 01, 2013
Add new Web site: Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand - Butterflies and moths. Jan 01, 2013
Add new Web site: The Natural History Museum - Butterflies and Moths. Jan 01, 2013
Add new Web site: Australian Museum - Moths, Butterflies and Skippers. Aug 24, 2012
Add new Web site: New Georgia Encyclopedia - Geography and Environment - Butterflies and Moths. Jun 10, 2011
Added new Web site: How Stuff Works - Animals - Butterflies and Moths. May 19, 2008
Added new Web site: How Stuff Works - Animals - Why are Moths Attracted To Light? May 19, 2008
Added new Web site: How Stuff Works - Animals - Why are moths attracted to light? May 18, 2008
Added new Web site: Enchanted Learning - Jumping Bean Moth. Mar 04, 2008
Media revised. Feb 06, 2008
Added new Web site: Kendall Bioresearch Services - Domestic Moths. Jul 31, 2007
Added new Web site: University of Florida IFAS Extention - Bella Moth. Jul 30, 2007
Added new Web site: Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute - Cossid moth. Jul 30, 2007
Article revised and updated. Feb 09, 2007
Article revised and updated. Sep 29, 2006
Bibliography revised. Sep 29, 2006
Added new Web site: Caterpillars of Australian Moths. Jun 26, 2006
Added new Web site: Caterpillars of Australian Moths. Jun 26, 2006
Added new Web site: BugGuide - Moths. Jun 02, 2006
Added new Web site: BugGuide - Moths. Jun 02, 2006
Added new Web site: Butterflies and Butterfly Gardening. May 19, 2006
Added new Web site: Butterflies and Butterfly Gardening. May 19, 2006
Article added to new online database. May 27, 1999
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