21 Most Incredible Moth Species

Subscribe to Epic Wildlife http://goo.gl/6rzs5u

#21 Lime Hawk Moth
Found throughout Europe and Western Asia, this species has also been documented in eastern regions of Canada. While males are smaller than females, their coloration is usually more pronounced. Its body and wing shape, along with the combination of dark green and brown blotches almost makes it look like a camouflaged fighter jet.

#20 Twin Spotted Sphinx
This one belongs to a family of hawk moths and is widely found throughout North America. While they occur as far north as the Yukon, they seem to be picky when it comes to California. According to some sources the creatures cannot be found in the southern or western regions of the Golden State.

#19 Hornet Moth
If you didn’t know any better, you’d think this was a full-on hornet. It’s an example of mimicry in the animal kingdom. By resembling the more-fearsome insect, this moth is very unappealing to predators who don’t want to get stung. It’s even the approximate size of a hornet, and mimics the jerky flight pattern of that animal.

#18 Gallium Sphinx
Also called the Bedstraw hawk-moth, these animals are widely dispersed across the globe. In addition to North America they show up in Central Asia, Japan, and the Arctic Circle in Europe. They’re active from May through October, but mainly at night.

#17 Giant Leopard Moth
Compared to other moths on our list, a wingspan of some 3 inches (7.6 cm) might not seem so ‘giant’. While that’s a respectable size, there’s no debating their reference to leopards. Like those big cats, these insects display some unique, spotted patterns.

#16 IO Moth (eye-oh)
The name “I-O” is a fitting name, given the prominent eye spots that appear on the wings of this species. As with other moths and butterflies with similar markings, the patterns are a defense mechanism that frightens away predators.

#15 Pellucid Hawk Moth (peh-loo-sid)
Many entomologists find this species intriguing due to its unusual appearance. They have a stout body like a bumblebee, along with transparent wings that provide camouflage.

#14 Garden Tiger Moth
The black spotting and orange hindwings of this animal obviously inspired the reference to tigers. But the patterns can vary depending on the individual animals. Researchers have found at least 500 variant patterns that occur within this species.

#13 Luna Moth
Its wingspan can approach 7 inches (18 cm), making this one of the largest moths found in North America. The insect’s common name is a reference to Luna, the Roman goddess of the Moon. But their self defense mechanisms don’t sound so divine.

#12 Owl Moth
This insect is found throughout India and into China and Japan. They’re a robust species, with a wingspan that measures more than 6 inches (160 mm). Their wings are distinguished by a pattern of black and brown stripes.

#11 Hummingbird Hawk Moth
Thanks to its long proboscis (pruh-bos-sis), hovering behavior, and humming noise the reference to hummingbirds is easy to see. It even feeds on the same flowers as the namesake bird.

#10 Hercules Moth
When a creature is named for a legendary demigod known for his power, you’d expect it to be big. The Hercules Moth is endemic to northern Australia and New Guinea. And its 11-inch wingspan (27 cm) makes it the largest moth known in Oz.

#moths #creatures #epicwildlife