What is a moth: photo of the insect and differences from butterflies

Moths, also known as moths, eat different foods at all stages of their lives.

At the larval stage, they do not have the same mobility as adults, which is why they live in the crowns of trees so that they can eat leaves.

Depending on the type of moth, the type of leaves their larvae will eat depends on the type of leaves, for example, the common oak moth feeds on oak leaves, and the Cherry Dagger species prefers to raise its larvae in the crowns of cherry trees.

Moth larvae have a peculiarity: they need to constantly chew something, so when there are no plant leaves, they begin to eat those things that are nearby, these are hair, wool, fur, etc.

The food preferences of adult butterflies, like those of larvae, depend on the specific species. To summarize, they feed on nectar and fruit juice. Adult butterflies cannot chew; they can only process liquid food.

Some species of moths in the butterfly state may not eat at all; they use the energy accumulated during their stay in the larval state.

Let's take a closer look at what some types of moths eat.

African moon moth (Argema mimosae)

What do moon moths eat?

Adult luna moths in butterfly state do not eat at all. Their larvae eat tree gum (dried tree sap) and leaves. They prefer persimmon, hickory and walnut leaves.

When luna moths hatch from their cocoons, they lack a mouth. Their only purpose at this stage is to mate and lay eggs.

Gypsy moth Lymantria dispar, photo Elenasuslova/iNaturallist

What to feed in summer?

What do moths living in captivity eat during the warm season? Oddly enough, slightly rotten fruits are a delicacy for these beautiful insects. Just remember that this product must be served washed and peeled. Otherwise, it can cause harm to pets due to the content of chemicals on the surface of the fruit, used by humans for the purpose of better preservation and transportability.

Butterflies will enjoy the blackened pulp from which they suck the juice, which is an important supplier of sugar, water and other nutrients.

The most suitable gifts for winged pets are:

• bananas;
• oranges;
• apples;
• melons;
• mango;
• watermelons.

Bananas
Important! For each feeding, butterflies need to prepare a fresh portion of fruit.

What does a gypsy moth eat?

The gypsy moth (Gypsy moth Lymantria dispar) eats young leaves of a wide variety of trees. These are mainly apple trees, aspen, willow, birch, pine, spruce, maple and oak. As they grow older, they begin to eat all the leaves in a row.

They are a garden pest because they interfere with the normal development of garden trees, which is why gardeners fight them regularly. But due to the fact that they can lay their eggs in huge numbers, measures to combat them are usually useless.

Clothes moth, photo mhking/iNaturallist

Main differences between moths and butterflies

In general, all representatives of the order Lepidoptera are very similar in body structure, appearance and lifestyle. But there are still a number of main differences between butterflies and moths:

• thickness and structure of the antennae;
• body shape and the presence of villi on it;
• activity at different times of the day;
• brightness of wing color;
• appearance of pupae and caterpillars;
• a way to fold the wings while resting.

All of the above differences are typical for most species of moths and butterflies, but, as you know, there are exceptions to any rule.

For example, the Saturnia luna moth boasts a bright light green or lavender color, and members of the moth family fold their wings vertically.

Anyone who wants to get to know butterflies better should come here.

Description and appearance

The family of moths is very numerous and includes many species. In essence, a moth is the same butterfly, but nocturnal individuals differ from daytime ones in the time they are awake and slightly in their appearance.

Night butterflies have a massive, dense body, which is abundantly covered with villi, while day butterflies have a more slender, elongated body, and there are noticeably fewer villi. The moth's head is round, containing eyes, a proboscis (sometimes atrophied), and antennae (usually feathery or filamentous). There are three pairs of legs on the chest. Two pairs of wings, with the upper ones noticeably better developed. You can distinguish a night moth by the color of its wings - it is duller, inconspicuous, and dark shades predominate.

Butterfly

Diet of domestic butterflies

They are often kept as pets. Moreover, keeping butterflies is not such a difficult task if you raise an omnivorous insect. Certain species of butterflies are very picky eaters and feed on certain nectar from certain plants. These pets are not suitable for home keeping.

In summer, insects can be fed with flower leaves, pollen, etc. But in winter they will have to prepare nectar. To do this you will need the following ingredients:

1. 2 tsp. water;
2. 1/5 tsp. honey

Take a container and pour water into it. Add honey and stir everything thoroughly. We feed this solution to insects.

You can also make pastes from fruits such as bananas, apples, oranges, pears, etc.

How to feed your pet

Especially if you caught the butterfly in the wild and did not raise it in your terrarium, then you may have problems feeding the insect. It is very difficult for him to explain that there is food on the plate, so sometimes you have to help:

1. If the butterfly is excited, wait until it calms down and folds its wings. Now we carefully take them and bring it to the container with nectar. If she is hungry, she will immediately begin to suck the liquid. If not, then wait and repeat the above procedure.
2. Problems can arise when she is scared. In this case, the insect will not eat even if it is hungry. Therefore, we need to help her. Bring the insect to the container with nectar and a toothpick, carefully, try to unfold its proboscis and dip it into the nectar. It should start sucking on it immediately.
3. Some species have taste buds on their paws. If your insect is one of these species, you can lightly dip its paws in nectar so that it understands that the food is edible.

Body structure

According to its structure, the butterfly is divided into two main parts:

1. Body - consists of the head, chest and abdomen. The oral apparatus consists of a long proboscis, which folds to a small size. With its help, butterflies drink flower nectar. However, in some species, the mouthparts are gnawing. The head is decorated with two antennae and eyes. They are necessary for orientation in space and catching odors. The legs of the insect are located on the thoracic region. The abdomen looks like an elongated cylinder.
2. Wings - there are two pairs of them (back and front). Usually the hind wings are smaller than the front wings. The span can reach 30 cm. The top layer consists of scales of various shapes. The pattern and coloring depends on the species, sexual characteristics and habitat. Many representatives of Lepidoptera have learned to use the coloration of their wings to camouflage themselves from predators.”

Habitats

The distribution area is very extensive; moths feel great throughout almost the entire territory of the globe. They will not be able to grow and develop in cold climates. Temperature and high humidity are important indicators for them.

The most beautiful and largest representatives live in the tropics, where there are specimens of enormous size.

There are also a lot of moths in our latitudes, most of them are considered pests.

Interesting!

The worst pest of fields is the meadow moth; a high concentration of insects in the fields leads to a significant decrease in the yield of many crops. You have to fight them with the use of the drugs Bitobaxicillin, Fufanon, Karbofos. In household plots, caterpillars are collected by hand and attract natural enemies.

Life cycle

Moth development occurs in four stages:

• egg;
• larva;
• chrysalis;
• imago.

After mating, the female lays eggs. Depending on the species, the insect either lays eggs on a food plant or lays eggs on the ground or on another chosen object, and some species simply shoot eggs without caring where they land.

Larvae-caterpillars emerge from the eggs. They immediately begin to actively feed and grow quickly. During development, the larvae go through from 4 to 40 molts, after which they form a cocoon around themselves from a silk thread secreted by a special gland and turn into a pupa.

Inside the pupa, the caterpillar transforms into a moth. When the process is completed, the insect secretes a caustic substance that corrodes the walls of the cocoon and climbs out.

The life of an adult moth most often lasts several weeks, but depending on the species, the duration varies from several days to 3-4 months.

How to attract butterflies to your site and what to feed them

A variety of caterpillars inhabit trees and flowers, which are their food supply, so they must be taken along with the plant. The found caterpillar must be planted in a cage or jar, which is covered with a lid or gauze. Several holes must be made in the lid to facilitate the flow of fresh air.

After some time, the caterpillar turns into a pupa, on the body of which you can see the faint outlines of the body of the future butterfly. Butterfly breeders consider watching the birth process of a butterfly to be the most interesting and exciting activity. This process takes several hours and is like a real little miracle.

Plastic house for children in the country

The wings of a butterfly that has just been born resemble small rags hanging on a frame of veins. At this point, you must place a stick or twig in the jar or cage. If the butterfly cannot find suitable support, then its wings will straighten incorrectly and then it will no longer be able to fly fully.

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Butterflies grown from caterpillars remain in the garden. To do this, you can plant special plants that attract such insects and form the main food supply for them.

How to make a net with your own hands

In spring and summer, it’s so great to spend the whole day in the fresh air, because at this time everything around is so pleasing to the eye: an abundance of greenery, flowers, butterflies. Speaking of butterflies! Who among us in our early childhood did not like to run after them with homemade nets? Imagine with what zeal and enthusiasm your child will do this. The only thing left is to make a net!

Of course, the easiest way to buy a net is in a store or market, but making it yourself will be much more interesting, especially since there is nothing complicated about it.

If you don’t know how to make a net with your own hands, we offer brief instructions:

You need to start by preparing the handle for the net. It is advisable to find a good quality wooden club (necessarily as smooth as possible), 2-3 cm thick. It must be cleaned of splinters.

Growing a butterfly from a caterpillar

A variety of caterpillars inhabit trees and flowers, which are their food supply, so they must be taken along with the plant. The found caterpillar must be planted in a cage or jar, which is covered with a lid or gauze. Several holes must be made in the lid to facilitate the flow of fresh air.

After some time, the caterpillar turns into a pupa, on the body of which you can see the faint outlines of the body of the future butterfly. Butterfly breeders consider watching the birth process of a butterfly to be the most interesting and exciting activity. This process takes several hours and is like a real little miracle.

The wings of a butterfly that has just been born resemble small rags hanging on a frame of veins. At this point, you must place a stick or twig in the jar or cage. If the butterfly cannot find suitable support, then its wings will straighten incorrectly and then it will no longer be able to fly fully.

Butterflies grown from caterpillars remain in the garden. To do this, you can plant special plants that attract such insects and form the main food supply for them.

Content nuances

We’ve figured out what butterflies eat, now let’s talk about how to keep this exotic insect at home.

First, she needs a home. It should not fly freely around the apartment, so you will have to equip or purchase a special insectarium.

Secondly, it is necessary to maintain a suitable microclimate. They love warmth and at any sign of cold they immediately hibernate. The optimal temperature for their existence is 23-28 degrees Celsius.

We recommend reading: “What do lizards eat”

Thirdly, the level of humidity is no less important. In dry air the butterfly will die very quickly. To increase humidity, spray the apartment or insectarium with water from a spray bottle. Don't be afraid if droplets get on an insect. It's even useful. This procedure should be carried out 1-2 times a day.

Fourthly, they pay special attention to their sleeping place. If you don’t have an insectarium and they just live in an apartment, then most likely the insects will spend the night on curtains or on indoor plants. If pets live in an insectarium, then you will need to build a resting place for them.

Twigs are perfect. They need to be laid out so that the butterfly can sit down comfortably (they sleep while sitting).

Business ideas with butterflies

You can breed butterflies not only for entertainment, but also for business. There are several promising options for making money from these insects. The initial investment pays off in 2 weeks, and organizing an insectarium at home is easy even for a beginner.

Depending on your wishes, you can choose one direction of work or combine several:

• sell pupae and butterflies to other breeders;
• sell dried exotic specimens as souvenirs;
• organize exhibitions;
• rent out for photo shoots or weddings.

Butterflies feed on fruit nectar and do not require other food.

Sale of pupae for breeding

The first option for making money is selling pupae for breeding. Nowadays these insects are most often sold online. The breeder creates a website where he talks about his butterflies and offers to buy them. The average cost of a doll is 200 rubles, the standard batch size is 15 dolls. Having sold one batch, the owner of the insectarium will earn 3 thousand rubles.

You can also buy caterpillars for breeding butterflies online. The investment will pay off in the first weeks of operation. Consider the issue of delivering pupae by mail or courier service: packaging, speed, ventilation, insect safety.

Sale of live butterflies

A similar line of work is the sale of live butterflies. Considering the transience of the life cycle of these insects, for successful implementation you need to think carefully about marketing. How will buyers receive butterflies?

These insects are bought not only for home keeping, but also for events. For example, butterfly fireworks are popular. This is the name given to a box with several insects inside, which are ceremonially released at weddings and similar events. The cost of one fireworks is at least 2 thousand rubles. Reviews on the Internet about such services indicate their popularity.

Dried butterflies in a frame

Anyone can learn how to decorate frames with butterflies. Only accuracy and attentiveness are of fundamental importance. Phenol is commonly used to preserve insects. Among the necessary equipment, we note a glass desiccator (pan), a pin and planks for spreading the wings.

Butterfly exhibitions

The owner of an impressive collection of butterflies can make money by organizing an exhibition. These often take place in shopping centers and are popular with families with children. The exhibition requires several dozen insects of different species, preferably exotic, and an area of ​​20-30 sq.m.

Ticket price: 150–200 rubles. Shopping centers have very high traffic, so it is quite possible to attract up to 200 visitors in one day. The exhibition can be combined with the sale of dolls and live butterflies, souvenirs, fireworks and paid photography.

A framed butterfly is a popular souvenir that costs at least 450 rubles

Photo sessions with butterflies

The popularity of personal photo sessions has not decreased for several years. But there is a crisis of originality: photographers do not know what new to offer the audience. This is an opportunity for a butterfly breeder to make money: rare insects can be rented out. The approximate price for renting copies for photography per hour is 500-700 rubles. This way you can freely earn several thousand a week. The line of work is easily combined with the sale of butterflies and fireworks, souvenirs and exhibitions.

The owner of the insectarium must only think about the delivery of insects to the photo shoot location. It’s easy to find clients through social networks - all photographers have work accounts there.

Features of color

Adults and caterpillars of night moths have two color options:

• patronizing;
• warning.

The protective coloration allows insects to camouflage themselves perfectly in the surrounding space, becoming invisible. Some species have become fantastically adept at blending into the background. For example, a moth can get lost among the foliage or become almost invisible against the background of tree bark. Caterpillars take the form of twigs, twigs, flowers, and merge with bark, pine needles or stones.

Caterpillar

Warning coloring is brighter. It either scares away potential enemies, or, on the contrary, attracts their attention. In the second case, the insect demonstrates that it has some kind of protective means. This may be a caustic secretion secreted by the glands or burning hairs covering the body.

What do caterpillars eat?

Most caterpillars are phytophagous - they feed on leaves, flowers and fruits of various, mainly flowering, and less often coniferous, plants.

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What does a meadow moth look like?

The meadow moth is a moth. This is a small insect of gray-brown color, with a wingspan of 18 to 26 mm. The wings have a pattern of yellow stripes. The insect is a dangerous pest, affecting a large number of agricultural plants.

Reproduction nuances

After mating, the female lays eggs. During its life, a butterfly can lay up to 600 eggs. The laying is done on the underside of the leaves of the food plant. After 2–15 days, caterpillars emerge from the eggs. They immediately start eating and grow quickly. The caterpillar stage lasts from 10 to 30 days, after which the larva burrows into the ground and pupates. The insect spends from 7 to 35 days in the cocoon, and then the meadow moth is born.

Maliciousness

Meadow moth caterpillars feed on both cultivated and wild plants and weeds. Voracious pests cause damage to crops such as:

• sugar beet;
• buckwheat;
• alfalfa;
• perennial legumes;
• corn;
• peas;
• sunflower;
• potato;
• barley;
• wheat, etc.

Meadow moth caterpillar

With extensive infestation, the larvae can destroy the entire crop.

How to fight a moth?

Measures to combat the meadow moth differ little from methods of getting rid of other pests and include:

• agrotechnical measures (digging soil in autumn and early spring, removing weeds, hilling);
• biological methods (use of trichograms and biological products);
• chemical methods (use of insecticides).

You can add to the main control measures the manual collection of caterpillars and the use of folk remedies.

Diet in the wild

We all know that every butterfly was originally a caterpillar. So, in the caterpillar stage, it eats a lot, providing itself with food even after it becomes a butterfly. But the protein reserves that the caterpillar deposits in its body are not enough. When they are used up, she has to look for food to maintain vitality.

It would be wrong to say that butterflies eat, since their feeding method is “sucking”. They don't have a mouth as such. Instead, there is a “folding” proboscis with which the insect sucks up food.

It is clear that it will not be possible to suck up anything rough with its proboscis, so the entire diet of a wild butterfly consists mainly of nectar and pollen.

Another favorite delicacy is rotten fruits (pears, apples). They cannot chew, but they can easily suck the juices out of decaying fruits. Moreover, they are rich in sugar.

Also, many may have noticed that they eat bird droppings and manure. The fact is that it contains many microelements that they need for normal existence. Therefore, they do not disdain such a “fragrant” delicacy.

They also love salt. But it is very difficult to get it in the wild. Therefore, many insects get it from human sweat in the summer. You can often see butterflies landing on sweaty people in parks. They do not cause any harm to humans, but simply suck sodium out of sweat.

What happens in winter?

Most species simply hibernate. They find a secluded corner (often under the roofs of houses, in barns) and sleep until spring. In the spring they wake up and continue their life cycle. Some species die, postponing offspring for the future. There are species that fly to warmer regions, like birds.

Caring for these insects is not difficult. In fact, they are not whimsical when it comes to food. It is enough to build or purchase an insectarium, periodically spray it with water from a spray bottle and prepare nectar once a day.