I just love it when a special science week comes around and we can all focus on learning about something new: new organisms, new habitats, new science concepts. We are coming up on National Moth Week, which incorporates a global citizen science movement to help spot and identify moth species all around the world. If you enjoy exploring in the evening, this is your week! We all know pollinators are important, but how much do you know about nighttime pollinators? Here’s your chance to learn.
Follow along with Sammie’s informative blog post below to learn when, where, and how to learn about moths during the upcoming Gbloal Moth Week 2025.
Written By Sammie Ross, NCST Summer Intern
Hi there! It’s NCST Intern Sammie Ross again, and I’m here to talk to you about NC Moth Week. Held during the week of July 19-27, North Carolina’s Moth Week is the perfect opportunity to appreciate these often overlooked and underrated beauties. Not only would I agree that a moth’s beauty rivals that of the butterfly, but I would also say that their beauty is the least interesting thing about them. There are around 3,000 different species of moths native to North Carolina, and they are just as crucial to the ecosystem as their more popular pollinating peers, if not more so.
Moths, unlike diurnal (daytime) pollinators, work best at night, tending to a largely neglected group of plants that flower at night. Without moths and other nocturnal pollinators, like beetles and bats, plants such as Yucca and Gardenia would cease to exist. Moths can do more than just fly around in the dark, though. Interestingly enough, moths actually travel greater distances than other pollinators, cornering the pollinator market on both dusk and distance. While these cool creatures play a key role in regulating our ecosystem, they are struggling to adapt to the rapidly changing climate. It is estimated that around 53% of moths and butterflies are in population decline due to temperature changes in their habitat and rising pesticide use. However, appreciation and awareness of moth species is a great way to help ensure these ”noir” heroes will continue to serve our community.
The North Carolina Moth Count features events and friendly competition to nurture the community’s appreciation for these overlooked pollinators. Most of these public events include an interactive experience where moth lovers can go out at night, lights-a-blazing, in hopes of attracting as many species as possible, but you can also participate right at home! All you need is a white bed sheet, some flashlights, and a phone to record your observations. Even better, if you observe ten or more moth species during the July 19-27 event and then log them on the iNaturalist app by August 3, you can win special stickers and badges from citizen science organization Science Across NC! Win special prizes the more individuals you can find and log by using the organization’s Moth Bingo Card – located here.
When I was a child in Shelby, NC, my dad and I thought we’d discovered an entirely new species of caterpillar when we ran across this beauty. This was no ordinary caterpillar – it had long, curved black and red horns, dangerous looking spines, and odd tentacle-like appendages. I will never forget the awe (and fear!) with which I looked at that freak of nature! Sometimes called the ”Hickory Horned Devil,” this creature turned out to be the caterpillar form of the Regal Moth.
(They can grow to be 5-6 inches long – the size of a regular sized hot dog!) And I was relieved to find out that they are not scary or poisonous at all to humans; however, they are voracious eaters and have been known to strip the leaves off of entire trees. But if you aren’t a tree, you don’t have anything to fear from the Hickory Horned Devil. So, if you do stumble across one, just enjoy this gentle giant of the caterpillar world.
NC Moth Week encourages all curious explorers to get out in the evening and see which species of moths populate your yard or neighborhood. To learn more about NC Moth Week and find an event near you, visit the NC Moth Week event page at Science Across NC Find more Moth Week resources on the NC Science Trail website.