Discovering the Hidden Beauty of Moths in Alabama
Meet Alabama's Most Magnificent Moths: Luna and Imperial
Two of our favorite moths here at Jefferson County Greenways are the Luna Moth (Actias luna) and the Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis), which are both species in the family Saturniidae, a family that includes some of the world’s largest moths. Both of these moths have very short life cycles, living their entire lives from egg to adult in only two months. When Luna and Imperial moths emerge from their cocoons, they live their whole adult life in “moth” form in only two weeks - they breed and then die, and they don’t even have a digestive system.
The Growing Threat to Moths and Other Insects
Unfortunately, we are losing many of our beneficial and visually stunning insects to pesticides, light pollution, invasive species, and the removal of leaf litter. If you want to take action in your daily life to preserve Alabama’s magnificent biodiversity, there are many easy and effective methods that you can introduce into your routine:
Four Simple Ways to Help Protect Alabama's Moths
1. Stop Using Pesticides in Your Yard or Garden- Avoid using chemical sprays that harm moths, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
2. Reduce Light Pollution to Support Moth Reproduction- Moths rely on the moonlight to reproduce. When we have outdoor lights on all night, the moths are unable to find each other. Use moth-safe lighting that is low-voltage, a warm/red color, and/or motion-activated. You can learn more about how to reduce light pollution in your home at Dark Sky International.
3. Plant Native and Biodiverse Species and Remove Invasive Plants- Most insects, moths and butterflies included, rely on specific native plant species to lay their eggs. Some insects will only lay their eggs on one specific plant species! The more invasive plants you remove and the more different kinds of natives you plant, the more insect and bird life you will see.
4. Leave the Leaves to Support Moth Life Cycles- Leaving the leaves is one of the most important steps we can take to help our insect friends. Many insects, including moths and fireflies, lay their eggs on dead leaves. When we rake and bag leaves in the fall and send them to the landfill, we are also sending all of our insect friends to the landfill with them.
Take A Closer Look: The Tiny Wonders of Alabama's Moth Species
While the Luna and Imperial moths are large and noticeable, most of Alabama’s moths are so small that you might need a magnifying glass to see them. When you spend time observing them up close, you may realize how elegant and diverse they are - there is so much beauty in nature all around us if we take the time to look at it!
Celebrate National Moth Week: July 19-27
This summer, grab your magnifying glass and open your eyes to the enchanting world of moths. National Moth Week runs from July 19-27, and it's a great time to learn about and celebrate the captivating world of moths by going mothing on your own or by joining a mothing event in your community!
Learn more about National Moth Week including how to set up a mothing sheet in your own backyard and finding several other mothing events in your area.
Join JCG's Moth Night at Ruffner Mountain - July 25
Jefferson County Greenways will be hosting a Moth Night on July 25 at Ruffner Mountain.
Register for Ruffner Mountain's Moth Night event
We hope to see you there - it’s going to be mothnificent!
Written by: Emily Hutto, JCG Lead Naturalist and Wildlife Care Specialist
Photo courtesy of: Payton Roberts, JCG Maintenance Technician