moth

a kind of insect – active at night (nocturnal) – related to the butterfly – soft body (different species are in different colours), in three parts: head, thorax and abdomen, no bones, a pair of feathery antennae, 3 pairs of legs (6 legs), 2 pairs of wings (4 wings): size: (varies widely) {in terms of wing-span – the width of wings when spread} the smallest (nepticulid moth) 0.1 inch wing-span, and one of the largest (great owl moth) 12 inch wing-span – the body length of some species, like the ‘gypsy moth, can be 1-1½ inches long; feeds on (eats) the adults of most species do not have mouth parts, only the larvae (caterpillar) eat plant matter, woollen fibre, people’s stored food; lives for (adults) only a few days to few weeks – the entire life cycle, egg – larvae (caterpillar) – pupa (cocoon) – adult – on average 1-3 months depending on the weather conditions; about 165,000 species (kinds) found all over the world

Some common moths are: Atlas moth, death’s-head hawk moth, Luna moth, emperor gum moth, giant leopard moth, gypsy moth, codling moth, brown apple moth, silkworm

{they are two types – clothes moth, those species whose larvae feed on the fibre of clothes, and meal moth, those species whose larvae feed on the people’s food items}

Special Features:

Atlas moth is the largest moth in the world with a 12 inch wing-span.

Most adult moths do not have mouth parts and so cannot eat; however, there are some species which can drink the nectar or plant sap or just water; but the adults also can be a nuisance because they are attracted to the bright light and fly around the lights in buildings.

The moth is a pest – damaging plants and crops, clothes and food – only in its larval (caterpillar) stage when it goes on eating for days on end before it changes into its pupa stage (cocoon)!

Moths are very sturdy, and are more resistant to the chemical pesticides than the mosquitoes and flies!!

However, there are some species, like the silkworm, which are useful.  We get silk, a smooth durable fibre, from the cocoons of some species of moth!

The caterpillars of some kinds of moth are eaten in southern Africa!

Figures of Speech:

1.

moth (noun)  =  a person who stays close round some attraction, like the insect moth flies around a bright light

2.

mothball  =  a small, usually strong-smelling and white, ball of camphor or naphthalene kept among the stored clothes to protect them from the moth insects

3.

moth-eaten  =  something, usually a piece of cloth, with a lot of small holes because it is eaten by the moth insect larvae

4.

gypsy moth  =  a Republican Party member who supports the Democrats on some financial matters of the state in the US House of Representatives

5.

moth and rust [said of the corruption and decay (things becoming worse) in the present world]

6.

the best cloth may have a moth [said to mean that there can be some fault even in the best thing or person]
For an informative article showing the difference between a moth and a butterfly, please click here.

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