It’s National Moth Week!
The Luna Moth (above) is one of the more colorful moths found in Georgia.
Where butterflies flutter by day, moths fly at night, meaning that most of us don’t really get to see or experience these animals on a regular basis. That’s unfortunate because moths are one of the wonders of the insect world. There are around 160,000 species of moths, compared to a mere 17,500 species of butterflies, with a total of 11,000 moth species in the United States alone. Moths are also very important pollinators: as they feed on flower nectar each night, they move pollen from one plant to another, fertilizing the flowers and allowing the plants to reproduce. Pollination is important not only for plants and wildlife, but also for humans: a lot of the food we eat relies on pollinators like moths and bees to, well, pollinate. National Moth Week (July 20-28, 2019) celebrates moths and the important role they play every day.
This National Moth Week, you can see moths in your own backyard, on your own porch, or wherever else you may be that’s outside. To best see some of these nighttime insects, hang a white sheet and shine a flashlight onto it. The moths will be attracted by the light and will come flying to the sheet, where they will be easy to see against the white background. For more information on how to observe moths, click here!
To enjoy the moths in your backyard, just hang a sheet, shine a flashlight and watch them flutter towards you!
Want an overview of all the moths we have here in Georgia? Take a look here to identify the species you find!
Arabia Mountain
Dominated by two granite outcrops, the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area offers natural wonders, compelling history and heart-pumping activity. This nationally significant landscape includes vibrant history, breathtaking beauty and intriguing cultural changes from early settlers to immigrant rock cutters, Trappist monks and one of the oldest African-American communities in Georgia.
