National Moth Week 2013

National Moth Week is here again! This event is in its second year, and gaining in popularity. We love moths here at MOSI Outside, so this is a week we love to celebrate.

We've written about our love of moths many times, including a post of our favorite moth photos. Do a search for "moth" in the search box above to see all of our posts involving Florida moths.

Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis)

Here are some ways you can join in the festivities:

• Events are planned across the country to get you out at night and finding the beautiful moths in your area. Visit the National Moth Week website by clicking here to find one near you.
• No events planned in your area? No problem! You can bring the moths to you with a few simple tricks. The easiest way is to hang a white sheet and shine a bright light on it; the moths will be drawn in and often provide great photo opportunities, as demonstrated by the shot to the right, taken by Howard Bryne in Arizona a few years ago. You can also try sugaring and wine-roping - click here for more information.
• Plant a moon garden. Moon gardens are designed to be enjoyed at night, when the majority of moths are flying. They include night-blooming plants, along with white and light-colored blooms to catch and reflect the moonlight, and they're a great place to look for moths. Learn more about creating a Moon Garden here.
• You can celebrate moths during the day too: there are many species of diurnal (day-flying) moths, including the spectacular Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe).
• Use this week to learn more about moths in general. Do you know the difference between moths and butterflies? Learn the answers here. Most people know moths are involved in the production of silk somehow, but do you know the details? Find out here. And what about those pesky clothes-eating moths? Here's what you need to know.

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe)

Visit the National Moth Week website for much more about the planned events and moths in general.