National Moth Week (NMW) is held annually worldwide during the last full week of July and celebrates the beauty, life cycles, and habitats of moths around the world.
Zebra Conchylodes Moth
This global citizen science initiative began in 2012 and has grown in the years since. Now more than 90 countries participate with mothing events taking place in many, many locations around the world. Even if you know nothing about moths, you too can take place. You can find an event near you here, or if you live locally here in western NC, you can join me an a small group of people on this Friday, July 26th. Details here.
Or, if you want, you can just turn on a porch light, step outside after dark, and see what you get. Spend some time photographing the moths and other insects that are attracted to the lights and then add your data to the worldwide database, through INaturalist.
If you’re asking yourself why on earth you should care about moths the answer is simple: If you care about birds and the health of ecosystems everywhere, then you must also care about moths because they are the foundation of the food chain. 96% of our songbirds REQUIRE insects, and especially, caterpillars of moths and butterflies, when raising their babies. Even if these birds visit your seed feeders, they still seek out insects for their growing brood.
Studying moths is fun and surprising. You never know which moths will visit your mothing stations. (A mothing station consists of a bright light directed onto a sheet or wall so viewing will be easier.) The anticipation is one of the best parts about mothing.
A luna mothCheck out this Virginia creeper sphinx!Here’s a flannel moth having a bad hair day.Regal moths are impressive with their 11 inch wingspan.Here an abbot’s sphinx rests on a hand.
I hope you’ll join me this Friday! Or, if you live in another part of the world, that you join a mothing event near you. I guarantee it will be a more interesting evening than sitting in front of the TV.
