We wrote earlier about how New Jersey moths survive our winters. Today, we are thinking about warmer weather and how moths act as surprisingly good pollinators.
When we think of pollinators, bees are probably the first thing that comes to mind. Moths are more efficient than bees at pollinating some plants.
A handful of moth species that eat our clothes, invade our pantries, and destroy our crops have given them all a bad name for many people, but most moth species are not pests.
In terms of species, moths are about eight times more diverse than bees, and 10 times more diverse than butterflies, which actually evolved from moth ancestors. In fact, we now know that moths are the single most diverse group of pollinators on Earth, with more than 123,000 species visiting flowers around the world.
Source: The Secret Lives of Moths - Nautilus
Also see Butterflies and Moths - BugGuide.Net
Polyphemus Moth
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