It’s National Moth Week! Okay, maybe not everyone is as excited about it as we are—but they should be!
Although they sometimes get a bad rap (only a handful of the thousands of species of moths are actually harmful pests), moths are crucial pollinators for many species of plants and are also key food sources for everything from bats to birds and from spiders to shrews.
And because they are sensitive to changes in their environment, moths are important bioindicators, giving us clues to the health and diversity of their ecosystems as a whole.
Check out these five beautiful photographs of moths from past entries to our Picture This: Your Great Outdoors Photo Contest and enter your own images by September 30 for your chance to win!
Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus) © Nancy Rodriguez, Photo Contest 2012
Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia) © Suzette Johnson, Photo Contest 2012
Small-eyed Sphinx Moths (Paonias myops) © Christine Silver, Photo Contest 2013
Luna Moth (Actias luna) © Jane Morrisson, Photo Contest 2014
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe) © Jose Mendes, Photo Contest 2014