We hate when someone calls us the ugly sibling, the ugly friend, the ugly cousin.  If we were ever given one of those derisive titles, we can sympathize with moths.  We say that they look like butterflies, but they aren’t as pretty.  Both moths and butterflies are part of the Lepidoptera order in animal classification.  So, essentially, they are the ugly cousins of butterflies and are often dismissed as clothes-eating nuisances, nocturnal invaders of our homes, copycats of our fancy-winged friends.  However, we have a bit of a double standard.  If a butterfly suddenly flew into our home at a ridiculously late hour, we would not condemn it as an intruder but rather revere it as an omen for good fortune.  How unfair.  Let’s recognize what makes moths so fascinating, even if it isn’t the designs on their wings.

In an era where we are much too fixated on our appearances, the media tries to empower us by telling us that we have qualities that are more important than a pretty face.  This notion, believe it or not, applies to moths too.  It especially applies when their eyes are revolutionizing the world of science.  Yes, revolutionizing.  Moth eyes can see in both the light and the dark from a coating of nanostructures.  These nanostructures maximize the light that enters their eyes so they can see in the darkness.  Scientists are trying to mimic moth eyes to produce more efficient photovoltaic cells for solar energy.  Solar energy is currently much too expensive because it is inefficient, though it is a more environmentally sound form of energy.  However, if we can generate more power from solar energy, we can save thousands of dollars.  A moth can eat our $20 shirt from the discount store if we can save huge sums of money on solar energy.

Nanostructures on moth eyes are not only mesmerizing, they are also the future of solar energy!

There are many pretty faces in Hollywood movies, but the most successful actors are the ones with talent.  Moths deserve Oscars in the entomological world.  They don’t hide from their predators, they pretend to be their predators!  Spiders are common predators of moths.  So these adept impersonators contort their wings to look like legs and make patterns on their wings look like the beady eyes of spiders.  Stunned, these eight-legged creatures scurry away.  If imitating a spider seems too amateur, the moths can actually imitate species that aren’t bugs.  The Atlas moth uses its wings to mimic a snake, perhaps one of the most terrifying members of the terrestrial animal kingdom.  And it doesn’t emulate one of those benign garden snakes; it embodies the cobra, the most deadly of the snakes.  Who is the real master of disguise?  Hint: not butterflies.

The snake-like appearance of an Atlas moth’s wing.

While we are quick to condemn moths as hungry for our most prized articles of clothing, we are overlooking one of their most fascinating traits.  Well, first of all, it’s only moth larvae that actually eat clothing and it’s also predominantly moth larvae that generate the silk to replace these textiles.  So, basically, moths can eat our clothes, but they also can make new clothes.  Talk about recycling!  Silk moths create cocoons that become silk for our clothing.  A single moth can produce 1,000-3,000 feet of silk!  This silk fabric that is used in textile mills throughout the world and is a major source of profit.  We laud the silkworm as the true producer of our silk but, fun fact, the silkworm is actually the larva of the silk moth or, more scientifically, the Bombyx mori.  Whether our ties, dresses, undergarments, or accessories are made with silk, we can all thank the moths for that.  And we often say that if someone ruins our belongings, it’s fine as long as they replace them!

Silk moth with its silk cocoon. This same silk makes up our clothing.

So we may never think that moths are remotely as attractive as butterflies (though the luna moth’s wings can rival those of a butterfly) but we can recognize how they are scientific geniuses, skilled actors, and catalysts for trade.  Insects can instill a sense of awe within us with qualities that extend beyond the patterns on our wings.  We have viewed these winged insects with a very superficial, narrow-minded view.  If the “less showy” wings have capabilities to imitate predators, we need to understand that function does, in fact, transcend fashion.  If we can receive both efficient and eco-friendly power for our homes, thank a moth.  If we wear a beautiful silk dress to a wedding or formal, thank a moth.  If we are guilty of calling a moth the ugly relative of a butterfly, apologize to a moth, then thank a moth for all it has provided us.