Education
Embark on a butterfly journey with us.
We offer educational classes on teaching the 4 Stages of Butterflies. Call to schedule an appointment.
Hannah has many videos about caring for Butterflies, Moths, and other creatures on our YouTube channel. Click the link before to see Hannah’s videos on Silver Butterflies-Science & Beyond on YouTube today.
https://youtube.com/channel/UCg9YHCxGMHhR9Nm0UAkrj1w
Most Popular Videos on our YouTube channel. Please check them out and subscribe!
My first CLOUDLESS SULFUR butterflies! | Green caterpillars turn into yellow butterflies.
Beautiful Mormon swallowtail butterflies in Callaway Gardens butterfly center.
Watch a gulf fritillary caterpillar pupate and then emerge as an adult butterfly 1 week later!
Comments on Moths
Moths are just as beautiful as butterflies
Moths are beautiful, wonderful insects. But unfortunately, they get a bad reputation from many people. Most people think that butterflies are beautiful, glorious insects and that moth are drab, annoying insects that eat clothes and fly at night. If you visited a butterfly center, you would probably be amazed by its colorful wings. You probably would hold out your hand when one comes near you, in the hope, that it might land in your hand. But what if you went to a ''moth center? Would you be scared of the moths? Would you swat one away if it came near you?
Do you think that butterflies are beautiful, colorful insects and that moth are ugly, scary, annoying insects that eat clothes? If so, it's time to change the way you look at moths. Many people think all moths eat clothes. But it's very unfair how much hate they get. It's not fair that people find moths gross and scary and butterflies beautiful and glorious. It turns out, that there are more than 160,000 kinds of moths, even more than butterflies. And only 2 kinds out of those many species eat your favorite clothes. And it's the caterpillars of those 2 kinds that feed on clothes, not the adult. There are many pictures on the internet showing random moths on clothing, even those who have nothing to do with clothes. Also, some of the "butterflies" you love might be moths, because there are moths that fly during the day. Known as "day-flying moths," some moths fly during the day just like butterflies, fluttering around flowers to get nectar. Some dayflying moths are so beautiful, that they are mistaken for butterflies! The Madagascan sunset moth is one of those species. Its wings are black, red, green, and blue. The colors of the sunset are on its hindwings. With a blend of so many magnificent colors, it would be wonderful to see a sunset moth flutter around in your own backyard!
But before you say "That's the only moth I like!" check out these other beautiful, butterfly-like moths! The green banded urania, just like its name suggests, is black with striking, iridescent green bands! With such colorful wings, it's easy for someone to say, "What a beautiful butterfly!" and not even know they're really looking at a MOTH! This beauty will often gather in groups with other moths and butterflies on wet sand or mud to suck up the moisture, salt, and other nutrients that they need. This is called "mud puddling."
There's also a moth called the zodiac moth that is very colorful. The zodiac moth is iridescent dark blue with green/pink bands. Like butterflies, this colorful moth can be seen drinking nectar from flowers. Zodiac moths are very flashy and can be mistaken for a butterfly, too!
Besides the day-flying moths, silkmoths are also very beautiful. Meet the argus pink silkmoth. The argus pink silkmoth is pink with very, very long "tails" extending from its wings! Unfortunately, as beautiful as they are, giant silkmoths don't have any functionable mouthparts. That means they can't feed. They only live 1 week before they "starve to death." It's sad. The only goal in life for them is to reproduce.
The luna moth is another wonderful silkmoth. Its wings are a lovely lime green color. Its body is white and fuzzy. A mixture of beauty and cuteness, the luna moth is truly magnificent and striking. All silkmoths are cute and fuzzy. It's a big treat to come across one of these awesome insects.
Roseate emperors are also attractive silkmoths with their pink wings with yellow-orange edges. The body is also yellow. They have spots on their wings called eyespots. Eyespots are used to make moths, butterflies, and other insects look scarier to predators. Amazing looking moths!
Now back to dayflyng moths, the campylotes is beautiful, too. Wings of yellow, red, white and black. This moth will feed on necter from flowers and with such colorful wings, it can easily be called a butterfly.
So, did you like these colorful moths? There are also many, MANY other cool and colorful moths. Rosy maple moths are pink and yellow with fuzzy bodies. Hummingbird clearwing moths resemble bees but act like hummingbirds. Wavy Lined Emerald Moth and Southern Emerald, just like their name suggests, are Emerald Green in color, tiny moths. Clown face tiger moths are named for the red and orange patterns on their thorax. Clown Face Tiger Moths wings are light yellow or white and black. The Picasso Moth is colored with geometric lines and shapes on its forewings, with a yellow, red, and white spot.
Colorful metalmark moth has amazing red and blue metallic patterns. Arch moths are very beautiful with their sky blue, orange/yellow, and black wings. Gaudy sphinx moths are large and green with striking red, blue, black and yellow hindwings. There are more moth species than butterflies, and so many of them are colorful, unique and fascinating. People tend to overlook the drab moths. But if you take time to get a close look at them, even moths that are not colorful have amazing patterns on their wings for camouflage. For example, the Brahmin owl moth may not have bright red, orange, pink, blue or green colors, but it's still beautiful with its magnificent patterns. Moths can be interesting. They are magnificent and colorful, too. Moths need just as much love as butterflies! They are useful pollinators of both the day and night. When it's sleeping time for us, we have no idea of the amazing things going on right in our backyards. So don't hate on moths just because many are grey or brown and circle lights and night or because 2 out of the 160,000 eat clothes when they are caterpillars. Many are just as beautiful, or even more beautiful, than butterflies.
Moths Information and pictures taken from websites below in August 2022. Other information and picture of Moth come from Hannah during her own observation with Butterflies and Moths over the years. www.inaturalist.ca, https://www.si.edu, www.bugs-alive.blogspot.com, and Wikipedia.com
Butterfly Garden
In our Certify Butterfly Garden we have beautiful Sun Flowers and Zinnia flowers. Take a look below.
