Not all moths fly at night and not all are drab. Some
deserve the name of honorary butterflies. In fact sometimes they are mistaken
for them. Sorry I tricked you by using the word butterflies in the
title (not really); but I was afraid that most would ignore this article if they just saw
the word moths. The fact is that there are ten times more species of moths than
of butterflies; that they are very important components of ecosystems and worth
welcoming in our gardens. Some are very beautiful and can give visual enjoyment
to the gardener. To me, most if not all are beautiful each in its own way. But
I know people who dislike, fear or hate moths in general. I hope that at least
they take time to look and learn to love the pretty ones.
I will save some of the most striking ones, such as
hummingbird, imperial and Luna moths for later. I will start with some that
many people are unaware of and amazed when they first see them.
The crambid snout moths represent a family (Crambidae) with
more than 850 species in North America. They
get their common name from the appendage that sticks out on front of their
heads. Some of them, the members of the genus Pyrausta feed on plants of the mint family, so I will be calling them
mint moths, although they don't really have a common name. Most of them are
brightly colored and are seen during the day.
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| Pyrausta orphisalis (Orange Mint Moth) on mountain mint ©Beatriz Moisset |
The larvae of the orange mint moth (Pyrausta orphisalis) feed on a variety of mints and sometimes you
cans see signs of their feeding, especially at the buds and newer leaves. But
the damage is not known to reach serious proportions. It is good to remember
that caterpillars are bird food. So it is a good idea to have a few well
behaved caterpillars such as these ones to attract birds to the garden. It is
also a pleasure to spot this very attractive moth resting on a plant of mint.
 | |
| Pyrausta signatalis (Raspberry Pyrausta) on mint ©Beatriz Moisset |
The raspberry mint pyrausta (Pyrausta signatalis) is also richly colored and earns its name
because of the raspberry color of its wings. The larvae feed primarily on
spotted beebalm (a member of the mint family), they also feed on a few related
plants such as wild bergamot and scarlet beebalm.
 |
| Pyrausta
tyralis © Bob in swamp Flickr |
Another member of this genus, even more striking in its
coloration is the Coffee-loving pyrausta (Pyrausta
tyralis). This one breaks the mold with its feeding habits, a peculiar feat.
It gets its name because it likes wild coffee (Psychotria nervosa) found in Florida.
It also feeds on some Asteraceae such as dahlia and bidens.
It is worth mentioning that there are many species of mint
moths in Europe. Here is a gorgeous one: the
golden mint moth (Pyrausta aurata).
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| Pyrausta aurata © Bramblejungle Flickr |
In summary, if you want to attract these honorary
butterflies to your garden plant a variety of mints including beebalm which by
the way is also good at attracting hummingbird moths and hummingbirds.
Moth as Pollinators
List of articles
Beginners Guide to Pollinators and Other Flower Visitors
© Beatriz Moisset. 2012
Moth as Pollinators
List of articles
Beginners Guide to Pollinators and Other Flower Visitors
© Beatriz Moisset. 2012
