Moths

Moths are closely related to the butterfly
They belong to the insect order Lepidoptera
There are over 200,000 moth species worldwide (possibly more waiting to be discovered)
Moths tend to have thick, hairy bodies
Their wings tend to be neutral or earth-like colours
They are active at night, resting during the day
Some moths have long tongues, known as a proboscis
Some adult moths do not eat
Their lifespan is short
They have smell receptors all over their body
They release pheromones to capture the interest of passing mates
The male moth can detect a female moth from 8kms away
Moths see differently to humans – they see ultraviolet rays
Moths use the moon and stars to navigate
They are an abundant food source and important to the earth’s biodiversity
Moths that are considered a pest problem include the common clothes moth, case bearing clothes moth, brown house moth and the white shouldered house moth
They ‘hide’ in folds of stored clothes and bedding, as well as in crevices of cases, boxes etc.

Nuisance scale: 2/10 MILD

Can cause damage to stored clothing, carpets, blankets, bedding

Hazard: 1/10 MILD

Do not spread disease, bite or sting

Size: Moths are small, winged creatures

Description: Can be brown, light brown, white, cream etc. in colour – they are not brightly coloured