{"id":7981,"date":"2016-07-25T12:07:09","date_gmt":"2016-07-25T16:07:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=7981"},"modified":"2021-07-23T08:59:27","modified_gmt":"2021-07-23T12:59:27","slug":"take-5-marvelous-moths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-marvelous-moths\/","title":{"rendered":"Take 5: Marvelous Moths"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s National Moth Week! Okay, maybe not everyone is as excited about it as we are\u2014but they should be!<\/p>\n

Although they sometimes\u00a0get a bad rap (only a handful of the thousands of species of moths are actually harmful pests), moths\u00a0are crucial pollinators for\u00a0many species of plants\u00a0and are also key food sources for everything from bats to birds and from spiders to shrews.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And because they are sensitive to changes in their environment, moths are important bioindicators<\/em>, giving us\u00a0clues to the health and diversity of their ecosystems as a whole.<\/span><\/p>\n

Check out these five beautiful photographs of moths from past entries to our Picture This: Your Great Outdoors Photo Contest<\/a> and enter your own images\u00a0by September 30 for your chance to win!<\/p>\n

\"Polyphemus

Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus) \u00a9 Nancy Rodriguez, Photo Contest 2012<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Cecropia

Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia) \u00a9 Suzette Johnson, Photo Contest 2012<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Small-eyed

Small-eyed Sphinx Moths (Paonias myops) \u00a9 Christine Silver, Photo Contest 2013<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Luna

Luna Moth (Actias luna) \u00a9 Jane Morrisson, Photo Contest 2014<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Hummingbird

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe) \u00a9 Jose Mendes, Photo Contest 2014<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s National Moth Week! Okay, maybe not everyone is as excited about it as we are\u2014but they should be! Although they sometimes\u00a0get a bad rap (only a handful of the thousands of species of moths are actually harmful pests), moths\u00a0are crucial pollinators for\u00a0many species of plants\u00a0and are also key food sources for everything from bats […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":7984,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[158],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-take-5"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/07\/2363ChristineSilver8292-2013.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-24J","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3608,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/butterflies-and-moths-busting-the-myths\/","url_meta":{"origin":7981,"position":0},"title":"Butterflies and Moths: Busting the Myths","author":"Rosemary","date":"June 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Distinguishing\u00a0a moth from a butterfly should be easy, right? Well, it may be harder than you think. Butterflies are renowned for their bright colors, and moths have a reputation for drabness and nighttime flight\u2014but many don\u2019t fit this pattern. Butterflies and moths are very closely related, and belong to the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/06\/Juvenals-Duskywing.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/06\/Juvenals-Duskywing.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/06\/Juvenals-Duskywing.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/06\/Juvenals-Duskywing.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3734,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/about-hummingbird-moths\/","url_meta":{"origin":7981,"position":1},"title":"About Hummingbird Moths","author":"Hillary T.","date":"July 14, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"At first sight, it\u2019s easy to mistake a hummingbird moth for a tiny hummingbird. It feeds on the nectar of flowers, hovering with the body stationary, its transparent wings beating so fast as to be nearly invisible, and a long proboscis protruding beaklike into the blossom.\u00a0In flight, the wings create\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.massaudubon.org\/var\/ezdemo_site\/storage\/images\/media\/departments\/lww\/insects\/hummingbird-clearwing-moth-c-susan-grimwood\/188674-1-eng-US\/hummingbird-clearwing-moth-c-susan-grimwood_large.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12893,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-national-moth-week\/","url_meta":{"origin":7981,"position":2},"title":"Take 5: National Moth Week","author":"Ryan D.","date":"July 22, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Moths are one of the most diverse groups of organisms on the planet with scientists estimating there are at least 150,000 species worldwide, a testament to their adaptability, diversity, and success as a group. Their size, coloring, and shapes vary widely, from large, graceful Luna Moths to the sherbet-colored Rosy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Virginia Creeper Sphinx Moth \u00a9 Andrea White","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/07\/2029AndreaWhite7047.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/07\/2029AndreaWhite7047.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/07\/2029AndreaWhite7047.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/07\/2029AndreaWhite7047.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2581,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/the-secret-life-of-a-giant-silk-moth\/","url_meta":{"origin":7981,"position":3},"title":"The Secret Life of a Giant Silk Moth","author":"Kristin S.","date":"July 31, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"If you're under the impression that moths are dull creatures who eat holes in sweaters, you haven't encountered a giant silk moth. Luna\u00a0moths, Promethea moths, Polyphemous moths, and Cecropia moths are all native silk moths of the subfamily Saturniinae. These amazingly large, stunningly beautiful moths are found throughout Massachusetts, but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2013\/07\/Cecropia-Eggscropped-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5859,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-hummingbird-moths\/","url_meta":{"origin":7981,"position":4},"title":"Take 5: Hummingbird Moths","author":"Rosemary","date":"July 20, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"These marvelous insects defy our expectations. 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Well, it\u2019s back! The caterpillar stage of the invasive\u00a0winter moth (Operophtera brumato) eats young, tender leaves, sometimes before the leaves even get a chance to emerge from the bud. 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