DOOR TO NATURE
Moth Metamorphosis by CHARLOTTE LUKES ROY LUKES
this group has a body that looks like a bumblebee.
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The enormous variations in shapes and color patterns in moths, as well as their caterpillars and cocoons, are startling. Caterpillars can have bodies that are camouflaged to make them look like a leaf, a flower part, tree twig, conifer needles or bird droppings.
They all belong to the order called Lepidoptera. It may surprise you that moths make up 95% of this group. The tropical areas of the world are home to most of these delicate creatures.
Many moths will rest on a tree and blend in with the bark to make them invisible. Others will have large eye spots on hind wings to scare off a predator. Some moths can even emit a toxic substance or produce squeaking noises to distract a foe.
utterflies are of interest to many people because of their beautiful colors and daytime flight. Moths are not as popular, since they are associated with darkness and damage to some of our possessions and plants.
There are a number of moths that fly during the day and a few are rather unusual. Some species that fascinate people who have flower gardens are in the clear-wing group. One is named the hummingbird clear-wing moth. It hovers at flowers as it sips nectar and has transparent areas in its wings. At first glance people think it is a hummingbird. Another in
Some caterpillars have tufts of hairs which cause a painful sensation when touched, like the stinging nettle plant. A fat green caterpillar can cling to the underside of a twig to resemble a leaf. A few may create sounds that have ultrasonic frequencies to repel flying bats. Moths undergo a complete metamorphosis which includes four stages: egg, caterpillar,
cocoon and adult moth. Some species can fly in near-freezing weather in the far northern parts of the Midwest. Males usually fly, some up to 20 miles, to find mates via the female’s pheromone scents she sends into the air. A few moths have startling colors that may indicate they are not really an edible creature. A sphinx moth can be quite large and have a rapid flight to evade predators. They get their name from the caterpillars which have large, stout bodies that can be held erect, like the Egyptian Sphinx statue. The tomato hornworm is in this category. Once the weather warms and moths are flying, try leaving a porch light on overnight and see what may be there at dawn. A neighbor unknowingly did that about 10 years ago in June and discovered a luna moth and a polyphemus moth nearby. They called Roy, my late husband, to tell him and he rushed over with his camera. These large and impressive moths are in the Saturniidae family, also called silkworm moths. They are among the largest in our area and have very short lifespans.
An unusual dayflying moth is the clear-winged hummingbird moth.
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6/15/23 3:48 PM