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National Moth Week: Celebrating Creatures of the Night

7.22.2026

By Erin Parker, Interpretive Services Supervisor

At first mention, moths may not inspire curiosity, wonder, or joy in most people. Moths make us think of holes in our clothes and tiny caterpillars in our flour. But moths are a huge, diverse, beautiful, and ecologically important group of organisms that outnumber our better-known day-flying butterflies by almost 15 to 1!

Michigan’s largest moth is the Cecropia. The adults, like many of the large silkworm moths, do not eat and live only a few days…just long enough to find a mate and reproduce.

Moths may be underappreciated by those that haven’t had an opportunity to see them up close and in person, and National Moth Week and all the educational events tied to it are one way to start to appreciate these amazing animals!

National Moth Week

National Moth Week is an annual, global event dedicated to celebrating moths! It always takes place the last full week of July. This year it runs from July 18th– 26th. While National Moth Week started as a local event in New Jersey in 2012, and quickly grew to reach all 50 states and more than 90 countries! “Moth-ers” go out with lights and cameras to observe, photograph, and identify the moths in their area while contributing to a better understanding and appreciation of the diverse world of moths.

Moths, like this male Cecropia, are often described as flying teddy bears because they typically have thick, fuzzy bodies. The feathery shape of these antennae indicates that this moth is male, as the females have thinner, threadlike antennae.

Moths vs Butterflies

While we may think of moths and butterflies as being distinctly different groups, they are all in the same order and have more in common than not! Moths are usually night-flying, with large, fuzzy bodies and feathery antennae. Butterflies are typically day-flying with clubbed antennae. When they land, they frequently fold their wings over their backs horizontally, while butterflies are usually day-fliers and fold their wings up vertically. But there are exceptions to all of these! Adults of both groups feed through long, straw-like mouthparts called proboscides. Different species use these to drink flower nectar, sap, fresh and fermenting fruit, and the minerals from mud and manure.

Moths are diverse in color, shape, size, habitat, and dietary preference! Both the lettered sphinx (bottom) and plume moth (top) utilize unique coloration and shape as part of their camouflage. Because most moths are night-flying, they need to be able to hide during the day when many predators are hunting for food!

Often the most surprising thing to people is just how many moths there are, because so many of them come out after dark, we just don’t encounter them as often. And they’re an important part of our ecosystems as they take on the task of pollination, feed hungry nocturnal animals, and their hungry caterpillars convert huge quantities of leafy vegetation into their fat-and-protein rich bodies….feeding everything from baby songbirds to reptiles and amphibians. While we may rarely encounter caterpillars, they move more energy up the food chain than all other herbivores combined! The decimated plants in your vegetable garden are going to a good cause: food for all the wildlife that depends on our backyard ecosystems for survival!

Just like their adult stage, moth caterpillars come in a wide range of colors like this smeared dagger moth caterpillar. Many other species are hiding from predators, such as birds, during the day and only come out to feed at night. Some species, like this tobacco hornworm caterpillar, glow under black lights!

Moths, moths, moths

Finding moths can be as simple as heading out after dark to any area with a light source. Moths are adapted to navigating by the moon’s light, and are often tricked by other lights. Security lights shining on a wall can be a great spot to observe moths, drawn in and confused by the light.

Different wavelengths of light, such as light from black lights, can also be used to draw moths in for observation and photography. Many organizations, including the Metroparks, host moth nights where white walls or sheets or other flat surfaces are placed out with a variety of light sources aimed at them. Additionally, sweet-and-fermented “moth broth” concoctions of rotting fruit and other fermented products can be painted on walls and trees to lure in moths that eat sap, fruit, and other fermenting things.

The best ways to have moths visit is to have a diversity of pollinator plants in bloom, including some that bloom at night. And then, keep your lights off at night except when you need them, as these lights that lure moths in for observation also cause them to become prey for hungry nocturnal animals.

Luna moths, like this male, are one of Michigan’s most spectacular nighttime find. Their long, twisting tails serve two purposes: confusing predators that jump on the tails and allowing the moth to escape, and jamming up the echolocation signals of bats, allowing the large moth to fly off!

Looking for a guided introduction to moths and moth-ing? Check out the Michigan Moth Night program happening at Lake Erie Metropark Marsh Museum on Saturday, July 25th from 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Resources and programs:

Michigan Moth Night: Saturday, July 25, 8 p.m.- 11 p.m. Lake Erie Metropark Marsh Museum $6, ages 8+

MothEd

National Moth Week

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