38-555: The Arctiinae (formerly called the family Arctiidae ) are a large and diverse subfamily of moths with around 11,000 species found all over the world, including 6,000 neotropical species. This subfamily includes the groups commonly known as tiger moths (or tigers), which usually have bright colours, footmen , which are usually much drabber, lichen moths , and wasp moths . Many species have "hairy" caterpillars that are popularly known as woolly bears or woolly worms . The scientific name Arctiinae refers to this hairiness (Gk. αρκτος =
76-516: A bear). Some species within the Arctiinae have the word "tussock"' in their common names because they have been misidentified as members of the Lymantriinae subfamily based on the characteristics of the larvae. The subfamily was previously classified as the family Arctiidae of the superfamily Noctuoidea and is a monophyletic group. Recent phylogenetic studies have shown that the group
114-549: A group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies . They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (suborder Rhopalocera) and neither subordinate taxon is used in modern classifications. Moths make up the vast majority of the order. There are approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of which have yet to be described. Most species of moth are nocturnal , although there are also crepuscular and diurnal species. While
152-621: A native species in Europe and western and central Asia then east across the Palearctic to Siberia to China. It has been introduced into New Zealand , Australia and North America to control ragwort , on which its larvae feed. The moth is named after the red mineral cinnabar because of the red patches on its predominantly black wings. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae . Cinnabar moths are about 20 mm (0.79 in) long and have
190-467: A possible explanation for their tendency to engage in seemingly random cannibalistic behaviour, as many will die from starvation. Additionally, the larvae are preyed upon by species like the ants Formica polyctena . They overwinter as cocoons on the ground. The moth has proven to be particularly successful as a biocontrol agent for ragwort when used in conjunction with the Tansy ragwort flea beetle in
228-465: A tight spiral or drop from their perch suspended by a strand of silk. Isabella tiger moths ( Pyrrharctia isabella ) overwinter in the caterpillar stage. They can survive freezing at moderate subzero temperatures by producing a cryoprotectant chemical. The larvae of another species, Phragmatobia fuliginosa , may be found on snow seeking a place to pupate. Species in Arctic and temperate belts overwinter in
266-400: A wingspan of 32–42 mm (1.3–1.7 in). Cinnabar moths are day-flying insects with distinctive pinkish-red and black wings. There is little variation in patterning, although on rare occasions the red markings may be replaced with yellow, or the forewing is entirely red with a black border, or the wings are completely black. Like many other brightly coloured moths, it is unpalatable ;
304-769: Is a significant food resource in southern Africa . Another saturniid used as food is the cavorting emperor ( Usta terpsichore ). In one country alone, Congo , more than 30 species of moth larvae are harvested. Some are sold not only in the local village markets, but are shipped by the ton from one country to another. Nocturnal insectivores often feed on moths; these include some bats , some species of owls and other species of birds . Moths also are eaten by some species of lizards , amphibians , cats , dogs , rodents , and some bears . Moth larvae are vulnerable to being parasitized by Ichneumonidae . Baculoviruses are parasite double-stranded DNA insect viruses that are used mostly as biological control agents. They are members of
342-540: Is considered more effective, but there are concerns over its effects on human health. Despite being commonly thought to be undertaken by all moths, only the larvae of several moth species eat animal fibres, creating holes in articles of clothing, in particular those made of wool. Most species do not eat fabrics, and some moth adults do not even eat at all. Some, like the Luna , Polyphemus , Atlas , Promethea , cecropia , and other large moths do not have mouth parts. This
380-400: Is currently unknown. One hypothesis is called celestial or transverse orientation. By maintaining a constant angular relationship to a bright celestial light, such as the moon, they can fly in a straight line. Celestial objects are so far away that, even after travelling great distances, the change in angle between the moth and the light source is negligible; further, the moon will always be in
418-546: Is most closely related to litter moths Herminiinae and the Old World Aganainae , which are subfamilies of the family Erebidae . The Arctiidae as a whole have been reclassified to represent this relationship. The family was lowered to subfamily status as the Arctiinae within the Erebidae. The subfamilies and tribes of Arctiidae were lowered to tribes and subtribes, respectively, of this new Arctiinae to preserve
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#1732791759770456-470: Is possible because they live off the food stores from when they were a caterpillar, and only live a short time as an adult (roughly a week for some species). Many species of adult moths do however eat: for instance, many will drink nectar . Items of fabric infested by clothes moth larvae may be treated by freezing them for several days at a temperature below −8 °C (18 °F). Some moths are farmed for their economic value. The most notable of these
494-839: Is supposed to mean a harsh winter. However, the relative width of the black band varies among instars , not according to weather. The mythical qualities attributed to woolly bears in America have led to such things as the Woollybear Festival in Ohio, the Woolly Worm Festival in Beattyville , Kentucky and the Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk , North Carolina . Moth Moths are
532-413: Is the silkworm , the larva of the domesticated moth Bombyx mori . It is farmed for the silk with which it builds its cocoon . As of 2002 , the silk industry produces more than 130 million kilograms of raw silk, worth about 250 million U.S. dollars , each year. Not all silk is produced by Bombyx mori . There are several species of Saturniidae that also are farmed for their silk, such as
570-645: The American Northeast and South hold that "woolly bears" (or "woolly worms" in the South) help humans predict the weather, similar to the groundhog . The forthcoming severity of a winter may be indicated by the amount of black on the Isabella tiger moth 's caterpillar—the most familiar woolly bear in North America. More brown than black is said to mean a mild winter, while more black than brown
608-592: The Baculoviridae , a family that is restricted to insects. Most baculovirus isolates have been obtained from insects, in particular from Lepidoptera. There is evidence that ultrasound in the range emitted by bats causes flying moths to make evasive maneuvers. Ultrasonic frequencies trigger a reflex action in the noctuid moth that causes it to drop a few centimeters or inches in its flight to evade attack, and tiger moths can emit clicks to foil bats' echolocation. The fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis infects
646-522: The Carboniferous period, but only evolved their characteristic proboscis alongside the rise of angiosperms in the Cretaceous period. The modern English word moth comes from Old English moððe ( cf. Northumbrian mohðe ) from Common Germanic (compare Old Norse motti , Dutch mot , and German Motte all meaning 'moth'). Its origins are possibly related to
684-470: The butterflies form a monophyletic group, the moths, comprising the rest of the Lepidoptera, do not. Many attempts have been made to group the superfamilies of the Lepidoptera into natural groups, most of which fail because one of the two groups is not monophyletic: Microlepidoptera and Macrolepidoptera , Heterocera and Rhopalocera , Jugatae and Frenatae, Monotrysia , and Ditrysia . Although
722-754: The Old English maða meaning ' maggot ' or from the root of midge which until the 16th century was used mostly to indicate the larva , usually in reference to devouring clothes. Moth larvae, or caterpillars , make cocoons from which they emerge as fully grown moths with wings. Some moth caterpillars dig holes in the ground, where they live until they are ready to turn into adult moths. Moths evolved long before butterflies; moth fossils have been found that may be 190 million years old. Both types of Lepidoptera are thought to have co-evolved with flowering plants , mainly because most modern species, both as adults and larvae, feed on flowering plants. One of
760-481: The ability to make their own defenses. Common defenses include cardiac glycosides (or cardenolides ), pyrrolizidine alkaloids , pyrazines , and histamines . Larvae usually acquire these chemicals, and may retain them in the adult stage, but adults can acquire them, too, by regurgitating decomposing plants containing the compounds and sucking up the fluid. Adults can transfer the defenses to their eggs, and males sometimes transfer them to females to help with defense of
798-631: The ailanthus moth ( Samia cynthia group of species), the Chinese oak silkmoth ( Antheraea pernyi ), the Assam silkmoth ( Antheraea assamensis ), and the Japanese silk moth ( Antheraea yamamai ). The larvae of many species are used as food , particularly in Africa, where they are an important source of nutrition. The mopane worm, the caterpillar of Gonimbrasia belina , from the family Saturniidae,
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#1732791759770836-495: The caterpillars and adults are active during the daytime, but most species of this taxon are night-flying. Moths are attracted by light, but one species, Borearctia menetriesii , never comes to the light. Basking to accelerate digestion is common in the larval stages, and social behaviour may range from solitary to gregarious. Like most Lepidoptera, larvae produce a small silk pad before each moult, in which their prolegs are engaged. If disturbed, woolly bear caterpillars roll into
874-440: The earliest known species that is thought to be an ancestor of moths is Archaeolepis mane . Its fossil fragments show scaled wings that are similar to caddisflies in their veining. Some moths, particularly their caterpillars , can be major agricultural pests in many parts of the world. Examples include corn borers and bollworms . The caterpillar of the spongy moth ( Lymantria dispar ) causes severe damage to forests in
912-436: The eggs. Larval "hairs" may be stinging in some species, due to histamines their caterpillars make. The insects advertise these defenses with aposematic bright coloration, unusual postures, odours, or in adults, ultrasonic vibrations. Some mimic moths that are poisonous or wasps that sting. The ultrasound signals help nocturnal predators to learn to avoid the moths, and for some species can jam bat echolocation . Many of
950-733: The families Erebidae and Sphingidae , may be the key pollinators for some flowering plants in the Himalayan ecosystem. The roles of moths as pollinators have been studied less frequently than those of diurnal pollinators, but recent studies have established that moths are important, but often overlooked, nocturnal pollinators of a wide range of plants. Some researchers say it is likely that many plants thought to be dependent on bees for pollination also rely on moths, which have historically been less observed because they pollinate mainly at night. Moths frequently appear to circle artificial lights. The reason for this behavior (positive phototaxis )
988-515: The family Tineidae are commonly regarded as pests because their larvae eat fabric such as clothes and blankets made from natural proteinaceous fibers such as wool or silk . They are less likely to eat mixed materials containing some artificial fibers. There are some reports that they may be repelled by the scent of wood from juniper and cedar , by lavender , or by other natural oils; however, many consider this unlikely to prevent infestation. Naphthalene (the chemical used in mothballs )
1026-419: The internal structure of the group. Many genera are classified into these tribes, while others remain unclassified ( incertae sedis ) . The most distinctive feature of the subfamily is a tymbal organ on the metathorax . This organ has membranes that are vibrated to produce ultrasonic sounds. They also have thoracic tympanal organs for hearing, a trait with a fairly broad distribution in the Lepidoptera, but
1064-418: The larvae are pale yellow, but later larval stages develop a jet-black and orange/yellow striped colouring. They can grow up to 30 mm (1.2 in), and are voracious eaters; large populations can strip entire patches of ragwort clean, a result of their low predation. Often, very few survive to the pupal stage, mainly due to them completely consuming the food source before reaching maturity; this could be
1102-644: The larvae of many different species of moths. Moths, like butterflies, bees and other more popularly recognized pollinating insects, serve an essential role as pollinators for many flowering plants, including species that bees do not visit. Nocturnal moths fly from flower to flower to feed on nectar during the night much as their diurnal relatives do during the day. A study conducted in the UK found moths dusted with pollen from 47 different plant species, including seven species largely ignored by bees. Some studies indicate that certain species of moths, such as those belonging to
1140-498: The larvae use members of the genus Senecio as food plants. Many members of the genus have been recorded as food plants, but of New World Senecio and Packera species, long-term population success has only been confirmed on the North American native plant Senecio triangularis . Other plant species, such as groundsel , are sometimes used, but larval and population survival tends to be reduced. Newly hatched larvae feed from
1178-541: The larval stage. Some tiger moths produce ultrasonic clicks in response to the echolocation of bats to protect themselves. Many species are polyphagous in the larval stage. Monophagous species, such as the cinnabar moth ( Tyria jacobaeae ), are scarce. Although abundant, few species in this subfamily are of economic importance. Even the fall webworm , an abundant and highly polyphagous tree-feeding species that has spread from North America to Asia and Europe, does not do lasting damage to healthy hosts. Local folklore of
Arctiinae - Misplaced Pages Continue
1216-421: The light source. Studies have found that light pollution caused by increasing use of artificial lights has either led to a severe decline in moth population in some parts of the world or has severely disrupted nocturnal pollination. [REDACTED] Quotations related to Moths at Wikiquote Cinnabar moth The cinnabar moth ( Tyria jacobaeae ) is a brightly coloured arctiid moth found as
1254-459: The location and structure is distinctive to the subfamily. Other distinctive traits are particular setae (hairs) on the larvae, wing venation, and a pair of glands near the ovipositor. The sounds are used in mating and for defense against predators. Another good distinguishing character of the subfamily is presence of anal glands in females. Many species retain distasteful or poisonous chemicals acquired from their host plants. Some species also have
1292-492: The northeastern United States, where it is an invasive species . In temperate climates, the codling moth causes extensive damage, especially to fruit farms. In tropical and subtropical climates, the diamondback moth ( Plutella xylostella ) is perhaps the most serious pest of brassicaceous crops. Also in sub-Saharan Africa , the African sugarcane borer is a major pest of sugarcane, maize , and sorghum . Several moths in
1330-458: The rules for distinguishing moths from butterflies are not well established, one very good guiding principle is that butterflies have thin antennae and (with the exception of the family Hedylidae ) have small balls or clubs at the end of their antennae. Moth antennae are usually feathery with no ball on the end. The divisions are named by this principle: "club-antennae" (Rhopalocera) or "varied-antennae" (Heterocera). Lepidoptera first evolved during
1368-518: The underneath of ragwort leaves within the area of their old eggs. The larvae absorb toxic and bitter tasting alkaloid substances from the food plants, and assimilate them, becoming unpalatable themselves. The bright colours of both the larvae and the moths act as warning signs, so they are seldom eaten by predators. An exception is among different species of cuckoo which eat hairy and poisonous caterpillars including cinnabar moth larvae. Females can lay up to 300 eggs, usually in batches of 30 to 60 on
1406-445: The underside of ragwort leaves. When the caterpillars (larvae) hatch they feed on and around the area of the hatched eggs but as they get bigger and moult ( instars ) they mainly feed on the leaves and flowers of the plant, and can be seen out in the open during the day. Like several other Arctiinae larvae, cinnabar caterpillars can turn cannibalistic. This is mainly due to lack of food, but they can eat other cinnabar larvae. Initially,
1444-441: The upper part of the visual field, or on the horizon. When a moth encounters a much closer artificial light and uses it for navigation, the angle changes noticeably after only a short distance, in addition to being often below the horizon. The moth instinctively attempts to correct by turning toward the light, thereby causing airborne moths to come plummeting downward, and resulting in a spiral flight path that gets closer and closer to
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