The video clip of a Texas Wasp Moth highlights their diversity. The wasp moth is a wasp mimic that comes out during the day to nectar on flowers.
As the wasp moth video also shows, while moths get the reputation as creatures of the night, there are exceptions to that rule.
Moth physical features, like having thicker bodies than butterflies, and the absence of a club (or ball) at the end of the antenna helps with moth identification.
Colorful wings represents another general rule of thumb for differentiating between moths and butterflies. That generalization holds for many, but not all moth and butterfly species.
Chickweed geometer moth with colorful yellow and red wings.
The Underwing moths are moth collector favorites in many areas because of the colorful underwings. They do grow to be medium sized to larger sized moths.
The picture shows a Red Underwing moth.
Yellow Underwing moth.
Orange Underwing moth
Cinnabar moth
In terms of population size, Smithsonian Institution estimates place the number of moth species in the eleven thousand range. For comparative purposes, the approximately six hundred butterfly species found in the United States means the number of moth species far surpasses the number of butterfly species.
With close to one thousand species, Crambid Snout Moths can be found most everywhere in the United States. They tend to be small and colorful.
Hummingbird Moths
People who think of moths as the dull and boring relatives of butterflies might possibly never experienced the fun of watching hummingbird moths hover from flower to flower on a sunny day.
Hummingbird moth diversity translates into their occupying a variety of areas across the United States, from fields and forests to residential gardens.
Unlike the nocturnal habits of many moth species, hummingbird moths are day moths that enjoy the sunshine and flowers.
The White-lined Sphinx Moth in the picture provides another example of hummingbird moth diversity and color. Their wings are a colorful pink and brown mix, with a distinct white line across the wings and white lines along the thorax.
The tail at the end of the hummingbird moth caterpillar also catches the eye.
Large Moths
Moth identification becomes a bit easier when it comes to the largest of the native moths.
Additionally, everyone enjoys a largest moth story, and this section provides some good stories. It starts with the fact that Atlas moths, native species in Indonesia rank as the world’s largest moths with a sing span approaching ten inches in length.
That’s a pretty impressive number and provides a comparative baseline for a discussion of large moths in the United states. Local large moth conversations usually start with the family of giant silkworm and royal moths.
Starting with Cecropia silkmoths, often billed as North America’s largest native moths. They live in many areas that have some trees and green spaces. Those characteristics, plus the availability of artificial lights makes urban areas an attractive home.
Looks like a Spotted apatelodes
Green wings and long tails might make it easy to confuse Luna Moths (Actias Luna) with Swallowtail butterflies. The feathery antenna definitively identifies them as moths.
They can grow to have a wingspan of up to four inches, placing them squarely in the large moth category. Luna moths are mostly active during the evening hours and can be common sights in deciduous wooded areas east of the Rocky Mountains.
Polyphemus moths are probably the most common of all the large moths found in the United States. Their caterpillars have a very flexible diet and feed on most deciduous trees. Adult wing span can reach up to six inches.
The Polymethus moth caterpillar.
The pink and yellow or cream colors of the Rosy Maple moth make it another of the very beautiful royal moths.
The wing span reaches two inches, making it smaller than the others presented here. They are quite common in the eastern areas of the United States with maples and other deciduous trees.
Wait! There’s more to the story of the largest moth in the United States. With a wing span that often reaches seven inches, the Black Witch Moth ranks as the largest non-native moth found in the United States.
Native to the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and the northern part of South America, the Black Witch Moth makes an annual journey to many parts of the United States during the summer months. I
They are more commonly found in the South than the North, although their ability to make the long flight north to the Alaskan or Canadian border has been documented in local news stories. Hawaii also has an introduced population.
The two pictures show a male and female respectively. The color variation in the pictures is an artifact of the lighting. The white band through the center of the female’s wings is the key field identification clue.
The Tiger Moth family is probably best known for its woolly bear caterpillars.
Less known is the fact that the largest of the Tiger Moths is the Giant Leopard moth. The wing span can exceed three inches in length and the body grows over two inches.
They are common throughout the eastern United States because the caterpillars are not picky eaters.
Moth identification becomes easy seeing a striking white winged moth covered in circles. The colorful abdomen shows shades of blue and orange.
After reading about the really large moths, hearing about a moth that has close to a five inch wing span brings some perspective.
The Modest Sphinx Moth is common in most areas of the United States where their larvae food (poplar, aspen, cottonwood and willow trees) grows. The purple line across the underwing and large size are good field identification clues.
Problem Moths in the Home and Garden
Unlike butterflies, many moth species get labeled as yard pests because their larvae have the potential to defoliate shrubs and trees. Ermine Moths and Tent Caterpillar Moths fit that bill.
The caterpillars of both groups build and live in large, silk tent structures attached to tree limbs. Different species inhabit different areas around the United States. Homeowners need to determine on a case by case basis how to handle any tent caterpillar presence in the yard.
The moth with the orange wings is a tropical ermine moth that is common in the eastern United States, especially areas of the South. The second picture shows a tent caterpillar tent filled with caterpillars.
If all moths were as easy to identify as clearwing moths, there would be little reason to fear trying to identify any of the eleven thousand native species.
Clearwing moths bring some ease to the moth identification process because their name matches up closely with a physical characteristic of having clear, or see through wings. Additionally, many species also have colorful bodies that mimic wasps and/or butterflies.
Species can be found across the country in most residential areas and they can be a problem because their larvae develop within trees and garden plants. Around the garden, some species such as Squash Vine Borer, for example, can cause damage. See adult clearwing moths in the garden is a good indication of potential infestation.
Bagworm moth chrysalis. The larvae can infest trees around the home. They do build nice log cabin looking chrysalis.
Tiger moths can be initially identified as woolly bear caterpillars.
Stinging Caterpillars
Stinging caterpillars belong to one of the types of moths groups that also deserve some recognition.
Most people remain unaware of the darker side of the caterpillar world, the world of stinging caterpillars, and it need be noted that the pain associated with unanticipated engagements with stinging caterpillars make for life time memories.
In fact, victims unaware of the stinging caterpillar phenomena might assign blame for the bite to the mythical ‘spider bite’ category.
A discussion of stinging caterpillars begins with a genus of moths collectively called Buckmoths. They belong to the same family as the Giant Silkworm and Royal moths.
Many such as the Elegant Sheep moth have colorful wings and/or bodies. Stinging spines on Hemileuca caterpillars make identifying them an important health issue.
The picture shows a western sheep moth caterpillar. Their bodies are usually hairless with the exception of patterns of small spines encircling the body segments.
Here’s a picture of the very colorful IO moth, another of the Buckmoths. It’s found in most areas east of the Rocky Mountains because the caterpillars are not picky eaters and consume leaves of many types of trees.
Seeing the moth almost guarantees the caterpillars are present. Typically they have green bodies with a white stripe down the side. The hairs on the top of the body are a good signal to stay away.
The picture shows a Spiny Oak Slug caterpillar. Slug Caterpillar Moths get their name from the slow motion of the larvae. Not all of them are stinging caterpillars.
It’s a common species across the Eastern United States. Stay away from this particular species.
Saddleback caterpillar also belong to the Slug Caterpillar family. The green looking saddle on the back of the caterpillar makes them easy to identify.
Warm and fuzzy would not be the proper phrase for describing the Puss Caterpillar, also known as an Asp.
This larvae of the flannel moth feed on leaves from a variety of broad-leaf trees and shrubs in the Southeast United States, especially during the late summer and fall.
Body contact with the caterpillar results in a sting, producing a severe pain that can easily extend beyond a one hour time frame. Several medical reports state patients also experience shortness of breath, nausea and other symptoms requiring medical attention.
While puss caterpillars mostly remain on leaves, they sometimes wander on the ground and, as the picture shows, on picnic tables.
Wearing long sleeved shirts and pants, along with shoes and socks, prevents unwanted stings for individuals who wander around puss caterpillar territory.