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.

moth: Media

insect

Videos

Vintage illustrations of colorful moths.

Moths vs. Butterflies: Can You Tell the Difference?

Both belong to the order Lepidoptera.

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

What can bionics researchers learn from butterflies and moths?

What can bionics researchers learn from butterflies and moths?

Bionics researchers studying silkworm moths and butterflies.

Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz

Images

Brahmaea hearseyi moth with wide, patterned brown and tan wings rests on a green leaf, with soft-focus foliage in the background.

Owl moth

The wings of the Asian Brahmaea hearseyi moth feature a striking combination...

© David/stock.adobe.com

Rosy maple moth (Dryocampa rubicunda) with bright pink and yellow wings resting on a green leaf.

Rosy maple moth

Adorned in yellows and pinks, a rosy maple moth (Dryocampa rubicunda) sits...

© Gary Meszaros/Science Source

A Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus) with large tan wings featuring distinctive eye spots rests on a green leaf.

Polyphemus moth

North American polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus).

© Ianmaton/Dreamstime.com

White spring moth (Lomographa vestaliata) with pale, outstretched wings rests on soil and twigs in the Netherlands.

Dainty in white

A white spring moth (Lomographa vestaliata) in the Netherlands

© Bruce De Kok/Dreamstime.com

Two light-colored and two dark melanic peppered moths (Biston betularia) rest on a textured, two-toned tree trunk, demonstrating camouflage and industrial melanism.

Industrial melanism

Peppered moths (Biston betularia) displaying industrial melanism, with dark...

© Ian_Redding—iStock/Getty Images Plus

A banded woolly bear caterpillar (Pyrrharctia isabella) with fuzzy black and orange bands crawls on a textured wooden surface.

Woolly bear

A banded woolly bear caterpillar is the larval stage of the Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia...

© Paul Reeves/Dreamstime.com

A large, pale blue-green Atlas moth caterpillar with white spiny protuberances clings to a branch surrounded by green leaves.

Atlas moth caterpillar

The large, spiny caterpillar of the atlas moth (Attacus atlas).

© wagner_md/stock.adobe.com

A flannel moth caterpillar (Megalopyge opercularis) with dense, tan and gray hair rests on a green leaf at night.

Flannel moth caterpillar

Armed with venomous spines, a flannel moth caterpillar (Megalopyge opercularis)...

© Brett/stock.adobe.com

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.

Lepidopteran larva

Colorful caterpillar of the spurge hawk moth (Hyles euphorbiae).

© Tiberiu Sahlean/Dreamstime.com

A Biston strataria larva, resembling a twig, is camouflaged on a tree branch with green leaves against a blurred brown background.

Master of camouflage

A larval spring moth (Biston strataria) hiding in plain sight.

© Stig Karlsson/Dreamstime.com

Brown-tailed moth caterpillars, Euproctis chrysorrhoea, clustered and moving out from a dense, white cobweb-like nest on branches.

Brown tailed moth larvae

A group of brown tailed moth caterpillars (Euproctis chrysorrhoea) emerging...

© Patrick Gosling/Dreamstime.com

Leopard moth

Leopard moth

An adult leopard moth (Zeuzera pyrina) resting on a leaf.

Olaf Leillinger

Close-up of a Bogong Moth, Agrotis infusa, resting on a native Australian blossom with pale stamens and green foliage in the background.

Star navigator

Close-up of an Australian bogong moth (Agrotis infusa). It is the first...

© Andrew/stock.adobe.com

A Cecropia moth with patterned brown, white, and red wings clings to the tip of a green pine branch against a blurred background.

Cecropia moth

Adult cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), North America's largest native...

© CathyKeifer—iStock/Getty Images

A white ermine moth, Yponomeuta, with black spots on its wings, rests on a rough brown surface.

ermine moth

Ermine moth (Yponomeuta).

© Dariusz Majgier/Shutterstock.com

mutualism

mutualism

Hummingbird moth pollinating a Dianthus flower.

Yummifruitbat

A pale green luna moth with long tails on its hindwings rests on a forest floor among brown leaves and green plants.

Luna moth

A large luna moth (Actias luna) sits on the forest floor.

© Victoria Martin/Dreamstime.com

Startle markings: false eyes on noctuid moth (Noctuidae).

Startle markings: false eyes on noctuid moth (Noctuidae).

E.S. Ross

peppered moth

peppered moth

Peppered moth (Biston betularia).

Olaf Leillinger

light gray peppered moth (Biston betularia)

light gray peppered moth (Biston betularia)

A light gray peppered moth (Biston betularia) and a darkly pigmented variant...

From the experiments of Dr. H.B.D. Kettlewell, University of Oxford; photographs by John S. Haywood

dark coloured peppered moth (Biston betularia)

dark coloured peppered moth (Biston betularia)

Against the background of a lichen-covered oak tree, a darkly pigmented peppered...

From the experiments of Dr. H.B.D. Kettlewell, University of Oxford; photographs by John S. Haywood

Pine needle sheathminer moth (Zelleria haimbachi).

Pine needle sheathminer moth (Zelleria haimbachi).

William E. Ferguson

Close-up of a Polyphemus moth's fuzzy abdomen as it deposits small, round eggs in clusters on a dark tree branch.

Polyphemus moth

A female polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus) depositing eggs. Because...

Louis Quitt/Photo Researchers

Royal moth

Royal moth

Royal walnut moth (Citheronia regalis).

Patrick Coin

silkworm moth

silkworm moth

Silkworm moths (Bombyx mori) mating on cocoons.

Stephen Dalton—NHPA/Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

gypsy moth larvae

gypsy moth larvae

Gypsy moth larvae (Lymantria dispar) on oak foliage.

USDA photo

underwing moth

underwing moth

Underwing moth (genus Catocala).

E.R. Degginger

white plume moth

white plume moth

White plume moth (Pterophorus pentadactyla).

Ingrid Strauch

window-winged moth

window-winged moth

Window-winged moth (Arniocera auriguttata).

Svdmolen/Sander van der Mill

Zygaena trifolii

Zygaena trifolii

Zygaena trifolii.

Paste

Labeled diagram showing the external anatomy of a male butterfly or moth, including features like antennae, compound eyes, proboscis, wings, spiracles, and anus, alongside detailed internal body plans of both an adult and a caterpillar, with organs such as the heart, aorta, nerve cord, ganglia, and digestive structures identified.

body plan of a male lepidopteran

Body plan of a generalized male adult butterfly or moth and caterpillar.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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