Marvelous moths: Appreciating nature’s overlooked pollinators
Joe Malmisur, Interpretive Naturalist
When most people hear the word “moth,” they immediately think of holes in sweaters, the smell of moth balls or meal moths flying out of their baking flour. They are often shocked to discover that many moths are incredibly beautiful, some with intricate patterns that allow them to camouflage and evade predators. But, most importantly, moths are a cornerstone of the food web. How is that possible, you ask? Just like butterflies, moths begin life as caterpillars. Our native songbirds almost exclusively feed these protein-packed morsels to their young.
While butterflies get all the love, there is much to appreciate about moths. These winged wonders outnumber butterflies about 20:1, with over 3,000 species in Ohio. Moths and butterflies are both members of the Lepidoptera order of insects, but there are several easy ways to tell them apart. Moths have featherlike antennae, whereas butterflies have clubs or hooks on the ends of their antennae. And, while both have strong olfactory senses in their antennae, moths with larger antennae tend to have a much more powerful sense of smell than butterflies.
Most moths fly at night, while butterflies fly during the day. However, there are six species of day-flying moths in Ohio. Moths overwinter in a cocoon on the ground or buried in leaves, while butterflies metamorphize into a chrysalis attached to a plant or other structure. Moths are generally hairy with plump abdomens, while butterflies are smooth and slender. Finally, when landing on a flower or branch, moths’ wings lay flat, while butterflies keep their wings folded upright.
Because moths are such an important and integral part of the ecosystem, it is crucial to provide them with native plants and trees. Your Wild Back Yard can offer the host plants moths need to lay their eggs and for their caterpillars to munch on as they develop. When looking at your landscaping, a chewed leaf is a good leaf! If you have space, trees will give you the biggest bang for your buck. Oak trees support over 500 different moth species, cherry trees support 450 species and maple trees support 285 species. Other plants like mallows, asters, sunflowers, goldenrods, boneset and phlox will provide excellent host plants for several hundred species.
Since many moths utilize trees as their host plants, the concept of providing “soft landings” around landscape trees has emerged. The idea is to provide the necessary requirements for caterpillars when they fall to the ground to pupate (or transform between immature and mature stages) and overwinter. Instead of a thick layer of mulch or stones, consider planting a ground cover, ferns or other native plants under your trees.
To learn more about moths, join a naturalist for Lunas and Leaves on October 22, 2023. Always remember: everything in nature is connected, so let’s celebrate the critical role moths play in your Wild Back Yard.
For more stories like this, check out Green Islands magazine, a bi-monthly publication from Summit Metro Parks. Summit County residents can sign up to receive the publication at home free of charge.
