Nature Net News
Your source for tips
& tricks for exploring nature with your kids
August 2012
Moths
"I lingered around them, under that
benign sky; watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells;
listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass; and wondered how
anyone could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that
quiet earth. "
Emily
Bronte
Dear Reader, They're big, they're dusty, and they've given many of us a startle when they've flown out of unexpected places. They're moths. One humid summer night, I was restlessly waiting for sleep to find me. I had finally found a position that kept me cool (for the moment) when something light landed and hooked onto on my nose. I screamed. To this day, I don't know how a Cecropia (sigh-crow-pee-ah) Moth, the largest moth in North America, managed to get into my tightly-screened bedroom. It was a beauty; about the size of my eight-year-old palm, with vivid colors and the most fascinating-looking antennae. It was no Mothra, but it was an utterly terrifying thing to have land on your face in the middle of the night. But not all moths are scary (I was just surprised), and this issue of Nature Net News explores the interesting, and fluttery, world of moths. Enjoy! Kathe, Sarah & Brenna |
Bloodsucking moths can be found in Siberia and Russia.
Both butterflies and moths come from the species Lepidoptera. Of the 265,000 variants within, only 20,000 are butterflies. The rest are moths.
Moths rely on smell to find their food.
The "jumping" of a Jumping Bean is actually a moth larvae encapsulated within the seed of a shrub twitching when exposed to heat!
Most moths do not eat wool or any sort of fabric; this damage is caused by the caterpillar larva, pre-moth form.
What To Do This Month:
(if snow looks eminent...) Make snow moths, it's easy to do! Simply position yourself to make a snow angel, but only move your arms. Don't forget to add feathery antennae!
Tricks of the Trail for Parents:
Fuzzy Friends
Moths look fuzzy, and your tots may want to pet them. While moth fuzz is very soft, a moth is a very delicate creature that can be harmed by even the gentlest meaning child. In addition to the delicateness in general of moths, be very careful of a moth's wings. A moth's wings have many scales upon them that allow the moth to fly. If touched, these scales will flake off like dust on a person's finger. Without these scales, a moth is doomed to die, so please do not touch a moth's wings!
Instant Outdoor Expert:
Moth vs. Butterfly
Both moths and butterflies can sport wings from drab to sporty. Here are a few tips to tell them apart!
Antennae: Moths will always have fuzzy or feathered antennae ending in a point, while butterflies will be club-shaped.
Color: Usually butterflies are bright and colorful, while moths are of a more draber color, but there are exceptions such as the Cabbage White Butterfly (all white with a few dark spots) and the Cecropia Moth (brilliant red body and chestnut brown wings with yellow outlines and eyespots).
Activity: Moths are most active at night, while butterflies prefer to be active during the day.
Body: Butterfly bodies are smooth and slender while moth bodies appear fat and fluffy.
Resting Posture: Moths usually rest with their wings outstretched (though "winter moths" keep their wings folded vertically) and butterflies usually keep their wings folded above their backs.
Featured Nature Net Site
Nature Craft
Henry Vilas Zoo
While you might not find many moths, you can see
Alpacas, American Alligators, Badgers, Bats, Bison, Exotic Birds, Black
Bears, Grizzly Bears, Polar Bears, Bactrian Camels, Capybara,
Chimpanzees, Emu, Fish, Flamingoes, Frogs, Giraffes, Goats, Hedgehogs,
Iguana, Insects, Kangaroos, Lemur, African Lions, Colobus Monkeys,
Muntjac, Ostrich, Otters, Penguins, Red Panda, Rhea, Rhinoceros, Seals,
Sheep, Snakes, Black Swans, Tamarins, Malayan Tapir, Aldabra Tortoises,
Turtles, and Wallabies for FREE at the Henry
Vilas Zoo!
Leafy Moths
What you need: two pairs of symmetrical skeleton
leaves (found at craft stores), dainty twig, hot glue gun.
1. Gently crease a leaf along its spine, and dab hot glue on its base; press onto twig, angling the leaf upward.
2. Crease the bottom leaf, and dab with glue; place this leaf where the upper leaf meets the twig, angled downward, allowing the two leaves to overlap slightly.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 on the opposite side.
4. Decorate your house with this leafy moth!
Martha Stewart)
Suggested Reading:
"Shy Little Moth" by Elizabeth Lawrence (baby)
"Butterflies and Moths" by Nic Bishop (4-8)
"Caterpillar Dreams" by Jeanne Willis (4-8)
"Lucas and His Loco Beans:
A Tale of the Mexican Jumping Bean" by Ramona Moreno Winner (4-8)
"A Luna Moth's Life" by John Himmelman (4-8)
"What's the Difference Between a Butterfly and a Moth?" by Robin Koontz (4-8)
"From Caterpillar to Moth" by Jan Kottke (4-8)
"Moths" by Nicole Helget (4-8)
"The Life Cycle of a Moth" by JoAnn Early Macken (4-8)
"Luna Moths: Masters of Change" by Sandra Markle (9-12)
"Night Life of the Yucca: The Story of a Flower and a Moth" by Katherine B. Hauth (9-12)
"Butterflies and Moths" by Elaine Pascoe (9-12)
